


In Your Claws

by Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house, Hyrulehalfbreed



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alpha Eren Yeager, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Dark, Demon Eren Yeager, Demons, Dubious Consent, Eren's an asshole in the beginning, F/F, F/M, Human Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Humor, Levi a little shit, Lore - Freeform, M/M, Magic, Master/Servant, Master/Slave, New Special Operations Squad | New Squad Levi, Omega Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Omega Verse, Predator/Prey, Sacrifice, Slavery, Tattoos, Torture, kind of age swap
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-11
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2018-12-14 01:50:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 65,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11772981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house/pseuds/Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyrulehalfbreed/pseuds/Hyrulehalfbreed
Summary: They say being stolen away by the demons on the day of harvest was the equivalent to a death sentence. When Levi was stolen, he learned that death would have been a relatively simple end to the journey.And his is just beginning. For the first time Levi is able to see the sky, but being under the thumb of a demon lord the view is clouded with blood. Escape seems just out of reach and with each passing day Levi’s body seems to be betraying him at every turn. Can he break his shackles or will he forever be encircled in the smothering hold of a demon whose quick temper and cocky attitude have became the bane of the former thug’s existence?





	1. Hellish Beginnings

Consciousness returned to Levi along with a throbbing pain in his head. He couldn’t remember being hit but it must have happened, a lot of things have happened since he’d last been able to see.

He couldn’t see very well right then, something rested over his eyes. Not quite a physical thing, more like smoke. Thick and dark, it obscured his vision. There was something in his mouth, it continued out and clasped around the back of his head. White-hot anger crackled along Levi’s spine when he realised what the thing was.

The fuckers had him _muzzled_.

Not only that, but his arms were bound by the wrists in front of him. From the incessant series of tugging and burning on his feet Levi knew his ankles were also shackled. The chain between them just long enough to let him walk, but short enough to imped any attempt he might make at kicking. 

Blind for the moment and unable to ask what the hell was going on, Levi resorted to the few remaining senses he knew he could trust. His hearing hadn’t been tampered with, but all he could hear was noise all around him. It wasn’t a particularly comforting kind of noise. Shouting echoed all around, a boisterous kind of racket that might have sounded less intimidating if Levi hadn’t caught wind of a few jeers and filthy mutterings as he was dragged by. Whoever had a hold of him wasn’t taking any chances of him slipping away. The grip around his arm was nothing short of bruising but Levi couldn’t complain any more than to grunt at his captor.

If they even heard him over the din, they didn’t care.

Levi didn’t let that bother him, and frankly there were other things on his mind right about then. Like how in the world he’d gotten there, or who the hell all these onlookers were. The only guess he’d ventured to take wasn’t a very encouraging thought. If these were the trading grounds...he was as good as dead.

Levi was released abruptly and the sudden freedom sent him half-tripping into open space. Laughter stirred as he barely regained his balance, feeling dirt under his feet. He managed to stay upright, sending a filthy scowl around and hoping that whatever was stopping him from seeing didn’t also hide the venom in his eyes.

A voice that was far too cheerful announced that they would begin. Levi wandered around, feeling his way with an outstretched foot and trying to learn the extent of his freedom.

It wasn’t much. When hands grabbed for his shoulder, Levi knew he’d gone too far in the one direction. The crowd had no problem getting handsy and, though he was bound, Levi had no problem returning the favour. Painfully. He slammed himself towards the groping hands, hitting not only the presumed fence but also trapping an arm between himself and what felt like wood. He heard the crunch of bone and a squeal of surprise and agony. Before he could so much as move again there was another hand on him but this was heavier and it yanked him away from the fence.

His handler wasn’t impressed with the show. It probably won’t help him sell, and Levi knew he’d face some sort of consequences later.

If he survived to  _ see _ later, that would be a miracle in itself.

The noise hadn’t cut back, but there was more laughter ringing now. Apparently they found his defiance entertaining.

Levi grit his teeth when he was made to walk, paraded around for the howling company to see. In some cases, it literally was howling. Beastly sounds ripped through the air, more animal than anything remotely human. The gnashing of teeth, screeching, hissing, and other unnatural grotesque noises were among the out of tone symphony straight out of hell around him as well.  

He wasn’t sure what exactly he was wearing, maybe it was the same outfit they had stuffed him in earlier. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good. Nothing decent could be responsible for the whistles and increasingly disgusting comments being thrown his way.

“Now my kin,” the announcer’s voice was sleazy and loud as it boomed over the hollering crowd, “here is the jewel of the lot. While you might not believe it with that attitude and his record. This spunky morsel is an omega.”

Even blind as he was, Levi could easily imagine the horrid creature shouting his apparent worth to those gathered. No doubt the announcer was just as ghastly as the rest of the fiends Levi had caught glimpses of when he'd fought them on his own turf. He could imagine them being decked out with insectoid or scaley parts, a mix-match of beastly patchwork. All spliced together into horror itself. 

Still the strange word that the announcer had said made Levi tense. Omega? What the hell was an Omega? Another insult of the demonic variety, no doubt. Levi had never heard the term before, but the crowd obviously had as more noise erupted around him and the harassing snippets he caught only increased in vulgarity. 

Levi might be the one in the pen, but on the other side of the barrier were the real beasts. 

The auctioneer rattled off more information, gleefully informing the audience of how many demonkin were taken out of commission by Levi before he’d been captured. Like it was something worth mentioning. Like a mortal even getting a blade under a demon’s skin was an impossibility, and more often than not it was.Levi suspected they were only mentioning it to make the crowd hate him more. Giving them a reason to make him suffer later, once all this flare and show was over and done with and the real punishment began. There was some nonsense about his soul, its quality, its flavour – he shuddered at the thought – and then the bids were called for. His starting price had barely been stated before the offers were flying. Levi didn’t know how the hell the auctioneer was supposed to understand any of the racket but he seemed to be doing just fine, rattling off numbers and some things that Levi couldn’t understand.

If it had been chaos before, Levi didn't know what to call it now. He couldn't even hear himself  _ think _ .

And then, through the din, a voice called out an offer.

Levi didn’t really hear it over the ruckus, but apparently everyone else did because the noise just...stopped. As if on some terrible cue.

In an instant it was deathly quiet. Levi could finally hear himself breathing over the ringing in his ear, harsh pants puffing through his nose since his mouth was blocked up. He could hear his own feet shuffling in the dirt, his balance upset every so often by his handler.

And then, suddenly, he could see.

The smoke clouding his vision disappeared so suddenly that Levi winced and shut his eyes tight against the glare. When he opened his eyes again they stung, but he could still make out the scene.

It was a horrifying one.

He was in some sort of arena, built of cheap wood and with a sphere of seating that rose up off the ground in levels. Most of his audience was crowded around the pen he was in, choosing the ground in order to get a little closer to the goods. The sky above them was dark and filled with stars, but the surrounds were brightly lit despite there being no torches around. It might as well have been daytime if not for the obvious night sky.

Shitty demon magic. With their vision, they could have held this entire gathering in the dark just as well. They  _ wanted _ their cattle to be able to see them.

The horrific beasts that would soon be their masters.

Not all demons were humanoid…and the ones that weren’t were ghastly.

Levi looked away from them, though none of the faces were looking at him anymore. All of them were turned in the same direction, towards one side of the stands. With an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach, Levi followed their gazes.

He startled when the figure there was looking right at him. Levi was more surprised to find that the face was familiar, though he was immediately reminded of why. His memory of everything since the last, crystal clear image of a beastly shadow bearing down on him since he had first entered demon lands’ were blurry at best. But Levi remembered  _ him _ .

It was the smile that gave him away. Something about that crooked grin had irritation building in Levi and he wanted nothing more than to wipe that arrogant look off the thing’s face.

And it was a  _ thing _ . Not a man, not a person or a someone.

Levi glared at the thing, some monster in human form smiling and sprawled on the high seats like it was a goddamned throne. The raven sent his most hateful scowl in its direction.

And, dammit, the fucker smiled.

This was to be his life now? A world of grinning demons and wretched, never-ending landscapes full of ice and snow and barren dirt, and in the sole company of psychotic beasts?

And to think Levi had believed his life had been terrible before, which he thought was barely even a day ago now...

___________

For as long as any living human could remember, their world had been a small one. Any information about the world before was found in books and on parchment, rare and therefore valued by their human keepers. Rumour was that once humanity had had colonies and civilisations at almost every corner of their world.

Now all that remained of the human race lived in the one place, a world of borders and perimeters. Just a single, massive stretch of land remained in the possession of the humans. The walls that reached around the borders of humanity’s remaining territory were high and sturdy – great structures that stirred a feeling of security. And yet safety remained nothing more than a careful pretence.

Theirs was a world where sanity depended on pretending.

A world of lines that should never be crossed.

A world of brittle safety that could come crashing down at any moment.

Below the surface, in a broken city nestled underground, the majority of humanity huddled together. The Underground. Not a friendly place, it was mostly a tight cluster of homes and crumbling marketplaces all packed together in a cave system. The cavern was cramped with struggling lives, the only real breathing space being the stagnant air above their rooftops. 

There was less food there, less trade made its way underground. It was a place of harsh work, but the distraction was a welcome one. Life in the Underground…was not pleasant.

Food was hard to come by. Work rarely paid well, if at all. Finding something to do with oneself was often the only way to stay sane, and so they worked themselves through life.

There was nothing else to do.

If you were born in the Underground, you didn’t leave unless it was to work yourself to the bone. Such was the way of poverty; they weren’t provided with a way to work themselves out of the slums. The Underground was a sinking ship, every resident as desperate to survive as the next. In a near-constant battle to stay alive, stay fed, and not poison yourself with spoiled water sources, things could get nasty in the blink of an eye. The slums were better than nothing, if not a desirable place to call home. When the time for harvest came, theirs were the first homes to be raided.

If they were lucky, some of the surface residents would take a select few from the Underground to work the fields up above.

Above the surface, the wealthy population lived in a fragile but relative peace. Theirs was a world where one could still look up and see the sky, and not just the rocky roof of the Underground cavern. Above ground the fields were still bountiful, providing more plentiful food. Livestock could be kept above ground. The world above was surprisingly normal. Harvest was not a time that called fear into the hearts of the surface dwellers, only the regret that they had to sacrifice their less well-off kin so that their lives could continue. It was not an easy decision. They made it anyway. The people of the slums were the scapegoat of the wealthy. Their lives of relative privilege could continue as long as they looked the other way come harvest time.

On the other side of humanity’s limited territory, the creatures of the night swarmed. Always just out of sight, they waited for the day when every human was free game and the hunt would begin.

Hell on Earth was a terrible reality. All land outside of the careful borders allocated to humanity was the property of fiendish demons. They were predators in every sense of the word. Beasts that delighted in the chaos of the hunt, and their favourite prey was mankind. The preferred meal of demonkind, humans were nothing short of a delicacy.

Some of them mocked humanity by taking on humanoid forms. Others looked entirely human, and those were easily cruel enough to sneak past the walls and walk amongst the surviving civilisation. Those were rarely hostile. More often than not they were checking up on the humans.

Their claimed livestock.

For humanity only survived because the demons allowed it.

After hunting their natural prey to the brink of extinction, demons realised that their favourite walking morsels wouldn’t last forever if they simply consumed as they wished. Nothing was a more desirable snack for a demon than humans, beings of savoury souls, succulent flesh, and thick blood to wash it all down with. But humans had almost ceased to exist after being hunted relentlessly.

And so…the two parties struck a terrible deal.

The surviving remnants of humanity were gathered together from all corners of the globe, brought to the one location where they would form a single colony. They would be left to their own devices, granted protection by high walls and possession of a plentiful land. But on the other side of those walls, the demons would be lurking. Waiting. For while humanity was being given a chance to rebuild itself…their growth was limited.

Repopulate, but remain in your walls. That was the bargain. Safety meant staying within their limited territory.

It had been going on for so long that most people didn’t even think on it. Demons were always outside their walls, it was just something that one had to come to terms with.

And once every eight years, the demons came for the harvest. It was different from the human's own harvests, pulling grown food from the ground. This was a harvest of humans themselves. A time when their lives boiled down to them being walking snack food. A single day, or eight hours to be exact, in which all bets were off, and all humans were free game.

Recently a new bargain had been struck in which the humans living above ground were spared…at the cost of those in the Underground.

Since humans had become a rarer commodity, they were also considered highly valuable. Humans who were caught by a demon on the harvest could only hope that they were eaten…otherwise they were taken. Removed from the walls, stolen away from humanity’s territory, and brought onto the turf of demonkind. Only rumour and speculation could predict what would be done with a human once they were abducted. Maybe they would be eaten, or perhaps traded for whatever demons used as currency? Nobody knew.

Nobody wanted to know.

You didn’t leave the walls and come back to tell tales of what was out there. If you left, you stayed gone.

People didn’t like to think about why that was.

There were whispers of awful trades, of a society built to mirror humanity’s own. A form of entertainment for the demons – they played at human lives and behaviours. And in their secretive world of chaos, the demons did whatever they could to entertain themselves between the spans of years between harvests.

When the harvests did come, it was a harrowing time to be a resident of the Underground. They may have been poor, but they were survivors. With that came a certain pride, a spirit that fought against all odds.

Perhaps it was that spirit that lured the demons into stealing away the occasional human to take to the demon lands, rather than merely eating them.

The first signs of the harvest came before dawn had even broken and the Underground was still smothered in darkness. But the first patrols of Military Police crept down into the slums, carrying burning torches to light their way and aid their evacuation efforts. It was one of very few signs that something bad was going to happen.

When people started removing the security, it was time to worry.

Those in the military were lucky enough to live their lives above the surface, and therefore their lives were important. Important enough that they warranted being evacuated from the Underground the day harvest came around.

In the silent, morning hours not many were awake to notice the stealthy evacuation efforts.

An equally silent figure watched from the rooftops, eyes used to the smothering gloom of this place. Levi watched the hasty trail of nervous soldiers. All of them were twitchy, anxious to leave long before the violence started. Lucky bastards…at least they got a warning.

Twenty-five years into life and Levi had survived through two harvests. At only 160 centimeters in height, one wouldn’t think he’d cut a very intimidating picture, but that’s exactly what he did. Body made of hard muscle, but lean from the meager diet and exercise that assured his survival. His eyes were an icy blue grey in color and his dark hair was cut into a neat undercut. Skin pale from never seeing the sun’s rays and dark bags under his eyes from constant stress and a lack of sleep completed his vestige. 

The first harvest he did not remember, having been barely more than an infant. Demons didn’t steal or eat young humans, preferring to let them grow into adults – more of a meal that way. Levi’s survival had been all but guaranteed his first harvest. The second time had been infinitely more traumatic…he recalled it with perfect clarity. The most important people in his world had been stolen from him, either captured or eaten. He’d probably never know. But he honoured the lives of those two by remembering every lesson they’d taught him, and he’d survived.

He’d had to end a few lives to do it…but he was of the opinion that demons didn’t count so much on the murder scale.

And now…he would face the third harvest of his lifetime.

There wasn’t anything to do about it other than to wait. Levi had thought about this day a lot over the past years, wondering how he might go about making it through. But at some point he’d gotten too angry. Too worked up at the awful life he and his fellow slum-dwellers were forced to endure.

He was too proud to try and end it all before the demons got there, though he’d seen others succumb to that fear.

This time, Levi intended to put up a fight.

If it was the last fight he ever had, he’d make sure to give it his all.

He was also sure that he would do it alone. 

Having connections could easily get you killed as any day you might wake up with a knife in your back. Such a thing made sleeping a real bitch. On the other hand that also meant that you had a person that would watch it, as long as they weren’t feeling particularly stabby that day. 

True friendships and loyalty were things in short supply in the Underground. Levi beat the odds by having two people that he felt he could trust with his life, Isabel and Farlan. They were skilled in the stolen 3D Maneuver Gear that the trio harbored. Seeing them flying about the cavern was a common sight and it helped them survive as their mastery of it enabled them to make some of  the most daring thefts against greedy merchants and rival gangs alike.

The trio had known that the harvest was approaching, without sunlight to tell how many days had passed the people could only make a rough estimate of when it would happen. The two were supposed to stay at the hideout today, sorting through what they had earned and determining the shares they would give to the other gangs they worked with from time to time. In reality, it would be Farlan doing the work while Isabel napped. 

Levi had decided to make the rounds around the territory they claimed on his own.  

The vultures that were the other thieves in the area were now the least of Levi’s worries as he shot his triggers forward. Steam escaping from the cylinder on his back as he turned in midair, starting to head back the way he had come. 

He would patrol closer to the hideout, take out any demons that got too close for comfort. Isabel would want to fight, but Levi trusted that Farlan would take her into hiding.

Gradually the sun rose. At least the droning of the bells of the dilapidated church said it did. Too bad faith wouldn’t save anyone today.

People woke but barely a soul left their homes. Those lucky enough to live in houses down there refused to leave them, hoping that when the time came they would be left alone.

Sometime around midday…it started.

Levi watched the flood of darting shapes rushing into the cavern from above. The air was filled with awful howling, ravenous beasts salivating in their excitement.

If he kept an eye on them, he could almost watch them move without the action blurring. These things were fast, but careless. They underestimated that any human could even see them coming, let alone have the guts to try and fight them off. Levi’s only disadvantage was that he was the only human snack pack currently flying above the crumbling city with his grappling gear.

With the rest of the population hiding indoors, it didn’t take long for some of the demons to notice something mouth watering darting about the ceiling.

The sound of wings snapping near his ears had been Levi’s only warning, but it had been more than enough. Without hesitation, he jerked his hooks from the building they had been anchored to. Letting himself freefall, he slipped out of the grasp of the demon that had been bearing down on him. The fiend let out a screech of fury above him. Its meal was proving difficult to catch.

Shooting out the wires once more Levi rushed through the maze of crumbling structures. The demon stayed right on his heels, soon joined by the sound of more wings beating hard to catch him. Through the air, the clattering of heavy bodies over rooftops and walkways told Levi that more of the beasts had joined the chase.

Talons wrapped around one of Levi’s shoulders, weight suddenly pressing against him as the demon tried to force him towards the ground. Gritting his teeth Levi let himself fall, trusting in his lines to withstand the extra weight for a few seconds as he twisted around, knife sweeping out swiftly. 

He met his target with a fast slash across the demon’s throat and dark blood was sprayed across his front. The predator let out a gurgling screech, wings flapping madly and out of sync as the beast choked on its own blood. Trachea and esophagus were no longer two separate tubes and now the thick life-giving liquid was sloshing down into lungs and stomach alike. With this new and startling injury, the demon began to drop.

The body of the winged demon fell away rapidly and Levi kicked himself away from it as he reshot his hooks into the air to continue his flight. Levi blinked, trying to rid himself of the horrific face of his previous foe. He listened to the comforting thud and crunch of his anchors making contact with various structures, hoping to force his mind away from dwelling on what he’d seen. The image of the shock on the gnarled face staying imprinted on his mind, though, as Levi tried to lose his pursuers. The bastards seemed to have only grown more determined at the death of one of their own. 

Naturally it was a shock to them. Humans were docile; they didn’t fight back against a threat of this nature.

Levi was an anomaly to them.

He would make these fiends rue the day that they bullied mankind into a deal.

Two more winged demons tried their hand at directly taking Levi out of the air. Levi noticed that their wings weren’t the same, that even monsters could be unique. One of the beasts had the wings of a bat, the other was covered in feathers and reminded Levi more of a bird. But it didn’t matter what they looked like.

Both met the same fate as being a smear of blood and a broken mess of meat on the ground. 

These were all low class demons, creatures that relied on physical strength rather than magic. In brute strength, they would have indeed won against Levi or any other human, but Levi was clever and quick. He used his smaller size against the creatures to escape their hold and their arrogance to slice through their defenses. 

He remembered his training. Be fast, be silent, and use your enemy’s strength against them.

Levi predicted their movements this way, and whenever a dark figure darted in his direction he met them with his knife. He wasn’t sure how many he killed, but it was enough to gain the attention of so many others.

Humans weren’t supposed to be able to kill demons. They were too fast, too strong. An overwhelming horror.

When Levi dropped more than one of them, it only brought the others swarming in to investigate.

Luck was a fickle thing, coming and going as it pleased, unfortunately it had decided to abandon Levi when he needed it most. And the demons were onto his game. This tiny human that could fly without wings was a nuisance...they were going to put him down. One of the wiser beasts focused instead of severing Levi’s ability to escape; it would take his gear. With a swipe of its sword the wires were destroyed, resulting in Levi hitting one of the rooftops...hard.

The quick roll he managed to pull was the only thing that stopped him from breaking any bones. Levi didn’t have the leisure of recovering as the beasts descended on him quickly, he managed to kill two more before he was overwhelmed. 

Knife ripped from his grasp, Levi found himself being thrown against the filthy rooftop as the demons fumbled and eventually succeeded in binding their prize in heavy chains. They wrapped a disgusting rag over his mouth to keep him silenced.  Just like that, he’d lost. His gear had been quickly ripped off, the force of which left bruises in their wake, but he could do little to protest the treatment as his ankles and wrists were tightly bound. Hell, all Levi could do was wriggle like a disgusting worm as hands trailed over him.

He had barely a moment to wonder why he wasn’t dead already, when one of the monsters spoke.

“Little bastard,” it rasped, a sneering look on its already twisted face, “he’s lucky that he’s a pretty thing. Gods, he smells delicious though, more so than the rest of the filth down here.” One of the demons tutted above Levi as it wrapped a gash on its arm with grimace.

Levi certainly didn’t feel lucky at the moment, not at fucking all, as the creatures leered down at him.

Another demon hummed their agreement as they ran a hand through his short inky hair.

“He’ll definitely present as a beta.” It said knowingly. “All the fighters do.”

“We should have some fun with him before handing him over,” another twittered, licking lips that looked more like a beak, “he’ll sell at a high price, this would be our only chance to.”

Levi refused to even twitch at the comments, knowing that rising to the bait would only make things worse for himself.

He ground his teeth instead, jaw locked in bitter acceptance. The demons had the upper hand. For now.

He'd find the right moment to fight back, as soon as he knew where the heck they were going. And how many creeps he was up against. They had yet to move him, but clearly Levi was destined to be taken  _ somewhere _ otherwise he would have been long-since dead.

“Fat chance,” another fiend chimed in with a sneer, “you’ll just end up taking a bite out of him after you finish fucking him. Then it’ll be our asses on the chopping block,” 

The second growled at the implications, perturbed at the blatant accusation.

Levi was, for the moment, overcome with internal relief at the knowledge that at least one of these bastards was concerned about actually keeping their prisoners alive. He didn’t know what the blather about betas was. The word had sounded distantly familiar, but it wasn’t like he could ask in his position.

“You lot keep’a wastin’ time and you’ll find out what’a happens to ya,” a gruff voice sounded before a thump shook the roof as a new demon landed upon it. This one was  _ huge _ and sported the head of a bull, steam snorting out of his nose as he moved closer to the little gathering. The smaller demons squawked in fear and protest as they took into the air once more in search of new prey. 

The demon rolled his eyes as he easily lifted the human with one hand and threw him over one shoulder before leaping back off the rooftop and to the now blood slicked streets below. Levi gritted his teeth as he could do little but watch as the bricks passed by, there was more screaming and from time to time a demon with its arms loaded with squirming humans would appear, all of them bound the same way as Levi was.

As they continued their trek Levi realized grimly that the underground was becoming quieter. The screamers were the ones that were caught or slaughtered, the silent ones were either already captured or lucky enough to have escaped discovery. 

The raid was growing to a close, so quickly the already difficult lives of those living in the slums had become a nightmare. For those who were left, they would be waking up to pick up the pieces, while for ones like Levi, the nightmare was just beginning.

Coming upon a caravan of covered wagons pulled by disfigured horses made Levi’s stomach twist itself into knots. He was about the leave this cursed place, but not the way he wanted to. 

The demon holding him murmured something to another that seemed to be running the show. The leader pointing to a specific wagon after taking a look at the raven, before turning his attention to the growing line of demons and their prisoners.

When stepping into the wagon Levi was startled by how big the inside of it was, fucking demon magic assuring that they could make off with as much of their catch as possible. There were probably thirty small metal cages stacked three high in the cart with a space to walk through just wide enough for the large demon to transverse.

Levi found himself tossed into one of these tiny prisons, wincing as he landed sharply on his elbow. The demon loosened his gag, but that was it before the door clanged shut and was locked, the monster quickly disappearing the way he had come. Holding in a groan, Levi forced himself to sit up. The cage was just tall enough for him to do so, but no more than that. A glance around showed a dozen or so faces he recognized, but many others he didn’t, which wasn’t all that surprising. Despite the Underground being isolated, it was still a large place.

What  _ was _ surprising was seeing the girl sitting in the cage across from him. A soldier. Tiny as she might be, she bore the uniform that was reserved for the garrison so there was no mistaking it. Levi took her in with a suspicious stare. Strawberry hair was cropped to sit just above her shoulders and her amber colored eyes were downcast as she took in her surroundings.

Glancing about the rest of the cages, Levi tried to figure out if there was any kind of pattern to the people trapped with him. At first he wondered if it was based on how dangerous they might be to their captors with Levi and the soldier. Then he noticed the young teens and children in the mix. Feisty as Underground brats could be, they couldn't have had a prayer of a chance against demons.

Maybe… Levi grimaced at the thought as he looked about the cages, it might be on value instead based on those comments from the demons earlier.

For the moment, no one was speaking. Some of the people looked to have been knocked unconscious; those that were awake were either in obvious shock or lost in their own thoughts.

As time passed and the cages were filled, Levi found himself also ambling numbly through his thoughts. He worried about whether or not his comrades were among the imprisoned or the dead, or on the rare off chance...perhaps they had survived. Until Levi saw evidence he could only hope for the best. 

He was only startled out his wonderings when the wagon started to move,  _ fuck _ , this was really happening. And all of them were just sitting there. Doing nothing. It was as if they'd all given up already. Despite knowing it would do little good, Levi kicked at the heavy metal door. Of course, it didn’t give. Cursing softly to himself, Levi let his head fall back against the bars with a huff.

No use wasting strength or energy on a pointless endeavor. 

Others were starting to panic as they knew leaving the Underground this way was a death sentence. Clanging of chains, bangs of bound legs and arms against bars, terrified and angry cries rose to a crescendo as the wagon only continued to move despite the cargo’s protest.

“Stop that, you’re just going to hurt yourself!”

The words gathered Levi’s attention, eyes flickering up to look for the source. It was the soldier. She was trying to stop the youngster in the cage beside her from ramming himself over and over against the metal door.

Yeah, she certainly wasn’t from the Underground with her worrying about someone else rather than her own skin.

“Oh, shut it ya lousy military bitch!” Came the sneer from a woman a few prisons down.

Other voices were quick to join her call. Clearly the fear of the situation wasn't enough to stop humans from lashing out against each other. Then again, hurling insult after insult at the solider who looked shocked by the biting words was about all they could do.

“Excuse me? I’ve done nothing to any of you.” The soldier retorted, not at all cowed by the shouting.

The response had Levi rolling his eyes. Did she really think that would help her case here, among the least fortunate of all humanity?

“Oh, haven’t you?” Another man spoke up. “It’s your kind that keeps us from being able to go above ground, I’ve never seen sunlight in my entire gods’ damned life! You military dogs seal up the exits and let us be hauled off like cattle to be slaughtered by demons.”

“Ya sad your little demon friends betrayed ya and stuck ya in a cage with the rest of the ‘animals’?” Another jeered.

That finally got the young woman to flinch, trying to defend herself despite it being impossible.

“I am friends with no demon!” She cried out. “I was tricked from my post, I heard the crying of a baby, but…” the solider bit her lip, the memory obvious embarrassing and painful, “...the sound had just been coming from a demon.”

“So ya gained a conscious for a babe but not for tha’ rest of us? What? Want us to give you a fuckin’ reward for ya’r ‘noble sacrifice’?”

The soldier was wincing, her knuckles white as she gripped the chains that bound her. Her lower lip trembled and her eyes glistened before she shook her head.

She took a breath before speaking, voice firm, “I’m not asking for anything of the sort, I admit, what the military does to you all is unforgivable… That my own apathy is just as big a sin, I’m not going to make excuses for myself.”

That was… impressive, Levi had to admit that to himself as the rest of the humans also seemed stunned by her honesty.

“Well, that still doesn-”

“Put a fucking cork in it,” Levi couldn’t stay quiet any longer, kicking the bars of his own cage to bring attention to himself, “We’re all being saddled with ugly ass demon dates whether we like it or not, we’re either getting taken to dinner by them and have to drool over nasty hellspawn cock or we  _ are _ the dinner. Why don't you shut it for a minute and contemplate that? All your arguing is just giving me a damn headache.”

The wagon fell silent after the rant, while the soldier looked a little taken aback by his vulgarity, she still sent him a thankful expression. He returned the look with the slightest of nods.

“Wait, you’re Levi, ain’t you?” Someone questioned too far away from Levi to tell who.

He only gave a small hum of affirmation and the whispers began. If Levi, the most famous thug in the Underground, was taken down by demons it seemed to soothe the pride of some of the other humans that were caught.

“I’m Petra,” the soldier offered softly, the look of recognition in her eyes showed that she also knew who he was. He was a big enough pain in the side of the military for his name to be be mumbled through the ranks. On any other day, they might have been enemies, but now they were partners in a shared misery. 

Fate could take a shit on anyone, it didn’t matter what paths they walked. 

The hours passed in relative silence, only interrupted from time to time by a breakdown from one of the other prisoners as their imagination and misery got the better of them. The sobs would eventually die out and the silence would return. The constant, unfamiliar rocking of the wagon was strangely soothing to Levi and after a time, his eyes could no longer remain open. 

He was woken up by the sound of screaming, eyes shooting open to see a rush of smoky forms barrelling through the wagon and then he was hit with something. A physical attack, or a mental assault. He wasn’t sure. Pain took over and Levi was unconscious before he even began to collapse.

When he came around again, Levi felt  _ wrong _ . His mind was fuzzy like it was laden with moss, and his whole being ached. He was vaguely aware of the change in location from the wagon, but bars remained in front of him.

His clothes had been replaced, something Levi was only aware of when he noticed he had a lot more skin on display and his body was twitching with shivers from the cold. The shirt, if it could be called that, was black and stuck to him like a second skin, the bottom of which ended just under his ribs. Simple black shorts covered his legs. Or rather they didn't cover all that much of his legs. What was it with demons and modesty? It seemed that his skin was also slightly red from being recently scrubbed. He felt...clean? Well that...was a bizarrely invasive but strangely not so bad touch. The bruises he received from his gear and straps being stripped from him remained in angry, perfect lines to show where the strips of leather had sat. 

Levi's eyes kept wandering, mind too scrambled to take in much of anything. A room. Maybe it was a room. Around him, with several other equally groggy humans inside them, were similar cells. He tried to talk to the people, to figure out what the fuck had happened, but found that he couldn’t. His mouth wouldn’t work, his tongue stubborn and too heavy to move properly.

Eventually someone came and opened the door of his cage. They were enormous. A big, stocky creature that Levi wasn’t sure was human hauled him to his feet like he weighed exactly nothing. Levi’s legs didn’t want to cooperate, but his handler didn’t seem to care. Just like that Levi was dragged along, brought to yet another cage-like cell.

This one seemed… _ nicer _ ? How bizarre. Even with different standards, a cage was still a cage. What the heck did demons need a nice cage for? The bars were a polished silver and free of any blood. It shone dully. This cage was also larger and more intricate in design, looking like a too large hexagonal birdcage.

And then, voices.

Levi’s neck hurt and he couldn’t look up to find the source of the chattering. His body didn’t want to listen to him. The voices were still muttering away in low tones and it took a herculean effort just for Levi to raise his head and look in the direction of the sound.

There were people… no  _ monsters _ , Levi reminded himself, moving around the room. Some of them had horns, others had wings, and still more with odd mismatches of features. There were also others that looked so remarkably human, but there was always something that gave away their true nature, such as points to their ears, a cat-like eye, claw-tipped fingers that glinted in the dim light or some other little detail. Deadly illusions. Clever, living  _ lies _ .

Levi found himself caught suddenly in a shocking gaze, colourful eyes that all but called to him in the depressing setting of bars and curtains. The orbs, a dancing teal, seemed to brighten as Levi stared and the previously watchful features morphed into something sickeningly playful. This thing watching him looked so human, but when it grinned at him its mouth was full of pointed teeth. And thus the illusion was shattered.

It said something that Levi didn’t hear and the raven felt another rush of drowsiness.

__________  
  


All of that had brought Levi to where he stood, in a pen like livestock being paraded in front of drooling fiends.

Seeing that face again now, Levi felt especially suspicious. No one there should have been familiar, and the fact that Levi could recognize a face at all amidst a slobbering crowd of bloodthirsty demons had him on edge in no small way. In the auction area Levi was able to pick out more features of this particular demon than had been able to in the dark viewing room before. The drowsiness was no longer upon him, but Levi didn't get the chance at clarity for long.

The sound of a gavalan meeting wood broke through the silence, the word ‘sold’ seeming to echo inside Levi’s head as he knew his life was over. Condemned utterly with just that one, miserable syllable. He had a limited and specified worth here...and it had just been bought and paid for.

Feeling lost, Levi found his gaze stuck to the teal orbs that seemed reluctant to leave him.

The corners of the devious eyes were scrunched in delight and mischief, coming from a demon that meant nothing good for Levi. The moment that they broke eye contact things passed by in a blur. Levi remembered briefly being shoved and scuffled about through the crowds, this time around not any less loud. 

If anything the chatter had grown as other demons bemoaned the fact that Levi had been purchased already by a Lord Jaeger. Others were obviously teasing him, voices loud as they spoke about the fate that waited him. He didn’t catch it all, but he wished he hadn’t heard about the fact that his new owner had apparently eaten his last pet.

Just what he goddamned needed to hear.

At the price he had on his ass apparently that’s what he would be. A pet. Not a servant or some passing trifle in the dining room.

A fucking  _ pet _ .

Now he found his ass planted on a shockingly soft cushion in a carriage, surprised to see Petra sitting beside him. The change in conditions was downright startling. Levi blinked at Petra, silent and bemused. While both of them were still bound in the same way, the soldier hadn’t been muzzled like he had. Clearly that had been something  _ personal _ .

On the bench across from them sat a blond young man, dressed well and appearing human without any immediately visible creepy features. The collar wrapped around his neck showed all too clearly that he wasn’t their new master. 

The stranger was tense, back ramrod straight as his pale blue eyes flickered from the pair of new humans to the door which was still open. Nervous, probably. Levi didn't blame him, living in a place like this would do that sort of thing to a person. He considered making a break for it. Bound as he was and in a place literally crawling with demons, Levi knew that he wouldn’t get far even if he did make a dive for the opening. It was better to wait until he was away from a market full of hungry fiends before making any kind of escape attempt. 

Then a new head appeared in the doorway.

It's aura alone informed Levi that this thing wasn't human, but wide baby blue cat-like eyes told Levi that this wasn’t the man from the auction either. This demon had shining blond locks that almost looked like they had been spun out of actual gold. Had he not been bound so thoroughly, Levi might have been tempted to yank out a handful and see for himself. The hair danced teasingly halfway down a pale throat and the upper portion of the hair had been pulled into a ponytail. The rest was pushed back to sit behind small, tipped ears. The demon was lean, elegant...almost elfin. He was dressed in a luxuriously embroidered blue and gold double breasted waistcoat and dark blue slacks. Regal. Clearly important or distinguished in some way. This creature looked to be several years older than the humans he was appraising, which meant he had to have more than several decades on them.

From looks alone, Levi would have guessed late twenties. He looked deceptively normal. Not a threat.

And yet Levi's every instinct told him not to piss off this creature.

“Erwin.” The blonde finally spoke, a stunning smile breaking out on its face as it looked towards the only unbound human in the carriage.

Levi glanced at said human, Erwin apparently, and raised an eyebrow at him. The guy seemed somewhat chummy with the demon folk around here.

The young man swallowed audibly. He gave a stiff nod of acknowledgement and kept his eyes forward. 

It didn’t deter his not-so-secret admirer any. The demon didn’t step fully into the carriage, instead only reaching forward to gently cup Erwin’s face with one hand as he spoke, his voice too innocent and his mouth filled with equally too sharp teeth. 

“Sorry, Erwin, but I’m going to have to steal your master from you for a bit. You know how Jaeger is, such a slippery bastard. And we need to discuss some business for the next week. You won't mind, will you?”

The words seemed sickeningly tender, but Levi noticed the white knuckled grip that Erwin had over his own knees as the demon traced a claw-tipped thumb down his cheek. Slow and definitely a touch possessive.

“I’m sure you can handle the carriage ride alone with his new purchases, correct?” The demon continued, smiling at the prisoners without ever quite taking his eyes off of Erwin. “We’ll be in my carriage right behind yours so we’ll arrive at the manor shortly after you. Does that sound acceptable?”

“Of course, Lord Arlert.” Erwin replied, far smoother than Levi might have expected for someone so tense.

The blond human’s voice was deep and honey smooth, not at all portraying the obvious nerves that Levi picked up from this Erwin’s stance. Levi noticed how the servant’s eyes never met those of the demon. He was smart, always staring straight ahead or just to the side of the monster’s head. Evasive but not quite submissive. As harmless as this blond demon appeared with his slight build and the fact that he probably stood much shorter than the human he was currently harassing, Erwin’s reaction screamed that it was a deadly assumption to make. 

The demon hummed, seemingly distracted as his eyes traced every inch of Erwin’s face and body like a starving wolf would eye a piece of bloody meat.

“You just need to give a shout and I’ll be sure to help.” The pad of Arlert’s thumb swiped over Erwin’s bottom lip as the demon spoke.

Erwin looked like that might be the last thing he would ever consider doing, even if the new prisoners somehow broke free and started beating him to death. It would probably be preferable to whatever Erwin’s current life had become.

He didn't let on any of that, though.

Like Levi had thought...clever.

“I’m sure if any trouble occurs, Master Jaeger and yourself will hurry to my aid.” Erwin said smoothly, with all the confidence of a loyal servant. “Lord Kirstein was speaking with my master, yes? It might be wise to check on them in case a fight breaks out. I’d hate for the master to be inconvenienced by having to pay for damaged property.”

Erwin had answered all business and practicality, his tone almost completely even. But all in the carriage picked up the subtle intensity with which the servant spoke his owner’s name. A warning. Possibly even a  _ threat _ . It made the demon’s smile fall slightly and his thick brows pinch before drawing his hand away. 

“Indeed.” Arlert murmured in agreement as he started to pull back.

Though not before he swiped his wrist across one side of the human’s throat, pale flesh moving over skin and collar alike. Now that was assuredly possessive. Bidding his increasingly creepy goodbyes, the door shut and a few mutters could be heard from the outside before the sound of the lock on the door clicked. It was an ominous sound. A carriage that locked from the outside...it seemed that this Jaeger fiend had quite a system in place to make sure his property didn’t escape him.

Just perfect.

All too soon, the carriage rocked underneath them before it started to move forward, a small window sat beside the Erwin’s head and it slid open from the outside revealing the back of a head of ashen blond hair of the obvious driver.

The voice that filtered through was male as he hissed, “Erwin, what the fuck, are you trying to get a rise out of Lord Arlert?”

Erwin did not seem amused by the accusation. 

“I can assure you that I was doing the exact opposite,” he muttered, voice low as if to keep someone from hearing him, “if I don’t bring our interactions to a close as soon as possible he would get only worse. I hardly want to do anything that would encourage him further.”

Erwin closed his eyes as if in pain, the air releasing from his lungs in a deep sigh. A hand came from window, offering a small cloth which the blond took gratefully as he rubbed at the side of his neck where the demon had touched him.

Levi had suspected that the action had more meaning to it than he knew yet, and this only confirmed that theory. 

Demons were fucking weird. 

“Fair enough,” the driver muttered under his breath, his voice always a soft hiss just barely heard over the thumps of the horses’ hooves against the road, “too bad you can’t keep in the shadows like the rest of us with your position.”

“It’s an unfortunate reality, but one that I came to accept long ago.” Erwin answered evenly, before flicking his eyes over to the two humans sitting across from him.  Their time was short and he could only hope that the warnings that he was about to give to the two would be heeded. 

If not, only another tragedy awaited the servants of the Jaeger household. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody, new story that is a collaboration between Hyrulehalfbreed and Corporal_Levi_cleans_my_house, what started as chats on tumblr after commenting on a fic turned into full on collaborating on a story that, in drafts right now, is currently over a hundred pages and still growing! 
> 
> Really hope you like this story and are interested in seeing where it goes, please feed us with your comments, it helps to motivate us!
> 
> This is going to be a hell of a ride (I'm sorry)


	2. Fiendish Welcome

“Let’s begin shall we?” Erwin began as he turned his head back towards the newest additions in this new blood drenched world.

At the sudden attention, Levi jerked his chin up in challenge.

Erwin's gaze only became harder as he steepled his fingers under his nose and leaned forward on his knees.

“Now then,” he said, “introductions, I suppose. My name is Erwin Smith. I am the second in command of the servants of the Jaeger household. The young man acting as our driver is Oluo, another servant under Lord Jaeger’s...employment. We are short on time, but I will do my best to give you some advice on how to survive in your new…” Erwin paused there, brows furrowing as he thought over his next words carefully as he only received glares from the two before him, “positions.” He finished.

One glare was far more icy than the other.

“You’re using a pretty word for slave,” Petra muttered.

She'd all but voiced Levi’s thoughts for him as the pair shared a look. The muzzle kept Levi from telling Erwin exactly where he thought the blond could put his advice, though he felt at least some of his ire was communicated through his scowl. Levi wasn’t about to just roll over like a dog into his grave.

He would, however, need to choose his moment of rebellion carefully.

Erwin barely blinked at the filthy glares he was earning from the newcomers.

“It’s a nicer way to imagine things.” He said without any of the confidence he'd tried to plaster on before. Erwin was tired, weary and unafraid to reveal the strain that this life had left him with. “I am not blind to the fact that I only possess a sliver of free will. Compared to how the two of you are at the moment, I might as well have wings.”

If this was how this young man acted while in physical chains… Levi could barely imagine just how dangerous he could have become if he lived back behind the walls either in political or military positions. 

Perhaps both, Erwin seemed the type that delighted in watching the rug be pulled out from someone when it looked like the last hand had been played in their favor. 

Levi’s jaw ticked, the way the other spoke clearly said he expected that fact to change very soon. Well, Levi just loved to be a disappointment. 

Erwin continued. “Regardless, if you decide to discard my advice there will be only two results, either being beaten or death. Master Jaeger is more reasonable than most demons; he won’t gut you for breaking a glass at least. As a soldier and criminal, you both seem a little too proud to be offed by a demon. No?” Erwin asked, raising a brow as the two shared a look.

Levi glared at the strawberry haired girl as she looked guiltily back at him. Petra muttered under her breath that she had given the other’s name and short history to their captors when they had taken Levi away to the private viewing room. She had feared that he was going to be killed and thought that giving the information they asked for would keep Levi from the chopping block. All it had done was land them in even deeper shit.

But they weren't dead at least.

Not yet.

Erwin was baiting them, playing to their egos, Levi knew this, but damn if it wasn’t working. No, Levi did  _ not _ want to be killed by some scum of a demon. He wanted to get back to human lands, return to Farlan and Isabel’s sides to make sure they survived the shithole that was the Underground. Get all of them out to live on the surface, if he could, and most of all get revenge on as many demons as he could before he did kick the bucket. 

Levi wasn’t going to go out with a whimper. If he did die, his final breaths would be accompanied by the sympathy made from the groans of agony from whatever asshole that killed him. The image of those shockingly colorful eyes flashed through his mind. Levi wondered if those wild hues would dull in death, be nothing more than cloudy marbles that a child would throw away when they wouldn’t brighten again no matter how they polished them. 

“Your new master for the foreseeable future is Eren Jaeger, ruler of the twilight lands.” Erwin’s sudden speech cut off that imagery, forcing Levi to pay attention. “If you are to address him, it will be as Lord Jaeger unless you are otherwise instructed.”

“Otherwise instructed?” Petra asked, white-knuckling her seat.

It was clear that the reality of the situation was settling in for her, but still she tried for practicality. Ask questions. Gather information.

Levi respected her for that, even if she had once been shoulder to shoulder with the Military scumbags.

Erwin glanced Petra’s way at the interruption, but he didn’t seem offended.

“You have to earn the right to casually address your master, or risk the consequences of underestimating exactly what he’ll do to you should you act disrespectfully. I would advise you to behave. This new life of yours is a game, and a dangerous one at that. You will either learn the rules to this game, or you won’t last long. Eren is lenient, but only to a point.” Erwin said. “Any blatant disregard of his rules and there will be hell to pay. And no, that is not meant to be funny.” He flicked his gaze towards Levi for a moment.

He clearly hadn’t missed the raven’s brief smirk shining through his eyes at the wording. Wow, Erwin was all business and no sunshine, this was going to be a goddamned hoot.

“Listen well.” Erwin continued. “The trip home is a short one and this will be one of few chances for you to learn how you might survive here. Following advice given to you is, of course, left up to you. My only concern is knowing that you were forewarned in the first place, what you do beyond that is out of my hands.”

Erwin gave pause there, levelling the bound Levi and Petra with a look of warning. Not exactly threatening, more like he knew what consequences they would be facing if the advice about to be given out was not listened to.

Levi was no huge fan of sticking to the rules, but even he felt uneasy at that frigid blue stare.

With that in mind, he listened to the laundry list of rules that Erwin started on.

“You will find it wise to only speak if it is absolutely necessary, otherwise do your best to remain quiet unless or until you are spoken to. A lot of needless arguments can be avoided this way. Everyone employed at the manor has their own weight to pull. Simple things, chores and duties to keep the house in good order and no doubt to keep us from going out of our minds with fear or monotony. Complete each and every task that you are given in a timely fashion. If you are unsure of anything chore-related, do not bring your questions to Lord Jaeger, instead come to one of the various human staff and they will provide clarity.”

“We’re to play happy housewives to a demon Lord?” Petra half-laughed, though she looked pale.

“Servants will eat in the kitchens where there is ample space and they can be out of sight in case of guests. Do not eat in front of Lord Jaeger.” Erwin carried on, blatantly disregarding the interruption this time. “Direct eye contact with a demon is considered a challenge, avoid making eye contact. You do not wish to face the consequences. Unless it is strictly ordered or requested, do not touch Eren. By the same token, do not touch any demon that you encounter, and do your best not to allow them to touch you as the scent of other demons is not appreciated on Lord Jaeger’s property. An exception to this rule would be the servant you will come to know as Marco, who is only a half-fiend. He will be tasked with various chores that involve other human staff, and is therefore exempt from the no-touching rule. If Lord Jaeger wishes to touch you, he will do so. There are no consequences for that.”

It was all said so calmly, like this was just another day for Erwin. It undoubtedly was. This was the everyday struggle, and he was used to the warped way of life here.

Petra was shivering, though not from the cold.

Levi felt sick to his stomach.

And Erwin, the heartless bastard, just kept talking.

“It would be best if you avoided contact with other humans in Lord Jaeger’s services for at least a few weeks while Eren becomes accustomed to his new playthings. He can become quite territorial, so it is better to avoid any actions that might bring his ire down on the staff. That will apply mostly to you.” Erwin looked straight at Levi.

At the sudden turn in conversation, Levi straightened.

“Your role is vastly different from that of your companion.” Erwin said in answer to the confusion he sensed in Levi. He turned to look at Petra. “ _ Your _ training will be focused on basic household chores and maintenance. Nothing too strenuous while you settle in.” And then right back to Levi, this time Erwin even managed to look a little grim. “I assume  _ you _ will be placed in solitary confinement for initial conditioning. Keep your head down and follow what orders you are given, and things should go relatively well. Give yourself willingly and without hesitation.”

Any confusion that Levi might have felt was promptly washed away by a wave of burning indignation and anger.

Levi had no intention of playing faithful little slut to anyone, least of all a demon.

But…things weren’t exactly going his way of late.

“I know this sounds awful. It does every time. This is the best I can offer you, I hope you heed the advice given.” Erwin said, stiffening as the carriage jolted briefly and then came to a stop. “We’ve arrived.” He said, sighing, the way that Erwin rubbed at his brow spoke volumes of regret. “At least you won’t go in blind, but I wish we had just a bit more time.”

The carriage travelled deceptively quickly for what had seemed like a fairly normal speed. Just what kind of mojo had their driver tossed about before they’d left for them to arrive so fast? Erwin had assured them that they had, in fact, travelled quite a way from the markets. Lord Jaeger liked his peace and quiet.

Most days.

The manor was where Eren (or Lord Jaeger as they were supposed to call him) spent his time outside of causing trouble and attending his usual demonic business. Whatever the heck that meant.

Stepping out of the carriage, or rather being pulled out of it by the would-be driver, revealed a…weirdly spectacular view.

The landscape beyond the gates they had come through was cast in darkness. Levi could make out a few shadowy peaks in the gloom, and it was cold enough that he felt it could start snowing at any moment. Definitely not the best time to be scantily dressed. He didn’t have time to worry about the cold, though, as he was hauled quickly in the direction of the main house.

And it was fucking  _ huge _ .

Levi would have gaped at the sight if he could move his jaw, but the muzzle prevented that. So he just stared as he stumbled along, too stunned to think of resisting while he was being led about by what seemed like a regular human. Oluo, if he recalled correctly. It was only a vague memory dancing on the edge of Levi’s focus. Most of that focus was taken up staring at the house. Three storeys high and ornate even on the outside, the place was somehow both formidable and charming. Other buildings were clustered towards the back of the house, possibly storage or servants’ quarters, a big building that looked like a stable.

Did demons have horses?

Levi twisted to look back around even as he was dragged onwards, and he almost shouted at the sight of the creatures bound to the carriage.

Dogs, they looked like, only they were gigantic. Easily as big as a horse, feral-looking and snapping irritably at each other. There were only two, but the beasts definitely looked strong enough to be able to haul the carriage without extra help and no doubt they had some kind of bogus demonic strength. The pair growled and snapped their teeth at one another furiously. In the next moment they seemed completely at ease, glancing around and panting lazily like content puppy dogs.

One of the beasts caught Levi gawking at it and whined a wordless greeting at him, still huffing happily away.

This place was too fucking weird.

And he had no plans to stick around even a moment longer. 

Glancing at Petra from the corner of his eye, he caught her doing the same to him, silently waiting for his signal. Fighting side by side with a soldier, today was full of grand fucking firsts. While Erwin was spewing word vomit, the pair had been sending silent gestures to each other. Slight motions of their bound hands that could be thought of as simple adjustments because of nerves or discomfort. In reality, it was all signs of code that the human military used when they couldn’t afford to be overheard. 

Petra had been making the motions to herself, a way to voice her thoughts and disgust silently when it was obvious that Erwin was just going to ignore her. Levi had knocked his knee against hers, his own hands twitching to get her attention towards them. Her brows had pinched just slightly, obviously confused and suspicious as to why Levi would know military hand signs. But it was a tool they could use, one that only they knew seeing as Erwin didn’t react to the motions. 

Being the most well-known thug living in the Underground required Levi to gain a wide variety of skills to survive. Spying on military operations so he could steal valuable weapons, gas, and food enabled him to pick up the sign language quickly enough. Though his first few mistakes in his translating had almost cost him his head. 

It wasn’t that they weren’t listening to the blond’s advice or taking the warning to heart. But as Erwin pointed out, Petra and Levi were proud and were used to facing death each day.

The threat of death and torture might have been enough to scare an average person into good behavior, but not these two. Unsuspecting as they might appear with their short statures and lean forms, their eyes spoke volumes of tempered resolve to fight. 

No matter the odds, and there was a plethora of them against them now.   

As the towering wooden doors started to swing inward, Levi nodded his head and the two sprung into action.  

Petra moved first. Oluo was holding onto both lengths of chain that was attached to shackles on Petra and Levi’s wrists while Erwin walked further in front so he could open the impressive doors. It was a foolish move, the blond would admit later to think that the pair would come along quietly after the behavior they had displayed during the auction. He had witnessed Levi break some demon’s arm, while Petra dared to actually bite another that placed his grimy paw too close to her face. It was that action from the petite woman that seemed to have sealed Eren’s resolve to purchase her as well, despite him telling Erwin that he only had eyes for that pretty raven from the private viewing room. Perhaps she was the one that needed the muzzle rather than the male.

The chain attached to the shackle around their ankles was short, but they made the best of the movement they could do. Petra rushed forward, delivering a kick to the back of Oluo’s knees. The man’s yelp jerked Erwin’s attention backwards, turning just in time to see Oluo start to crumple. As he went down, Levi swung his bound wrists into the side of the driver’s head. He made sure that the metal was what collided into the hard skull rather than the bones in his hand. 

It was a knockout blow, one that Levi had performed many times before. 

“Wait, what do you-,” Erwin began, blue eyes widening in panic as he dove for the chains as they trailed out of Oluo’s limp hands. But he was too slow as both captives took off. While impeded by the chains, Petra and Levi made up for it in sheer determination. They could hear other voices pouring out of manor, shock and confusion filling the air to break the deceptive illusion of tranquility the courtyard had produced. 

Levi didn’t need to look back to know that they were being chased, but if he had, he would have seen the dark blur that was barreling towards him. 

But he didn’t, instead he bumped his shoulder against Petra’s as they ran and jerked the thumb of his left hand downwards in a sign. Warm, darkened honey eyes met his and she gave a small nod before tearing off into a different direction once they reached the gardens. Separating would hopefully ensure the escape of one of them, if not both. Levi knew he had the larger target on his head and he would be lying if he said that the thought of tripping the soldier to bring focus on her instead of him didn’t cross his mind. 

However, Petra had proven herself to be loyal and unfortunately had a good heart. That damn sentimentality was what had gotten her into this mess in the first place. Levi couldn’t find the will in himself to sabotage her. She might have had more freedom in her life than Levi ever had, but now they were sharing the same fate. 

Levi dug his heel in the earth to ground him as he took a sharp turn at a hedge. He heard a muted sound of surprise behind him as whoever was giving chase no doubt had kept going straight and now had to double back. 

He had only gotten a few more meters before he felt a hand wrap around his upper arm, jerking him to a stop. 

Fuck. 

Not taking the time to size up his opponent, Levi acted, twisting in the grip like a pissed off cat as he tried to break free. His right leg whipped around to collide with the thigh of his attacker to hopefully knock them off balance. 

His efforts were rewarded with the opposite as pain raced up his shin as it felt like he had basically struck a brick wall. The momentum that he had built up in his sweep being stopped so suddenly made Levi’s legs tremble and his balance waver. 

Before he could fall, another hand grabbed his other arm. Holding Levi at arms length to avoid any more kicks, the grip seemed to almost be made of smelted iron. No matter how he tried to jerk or twist, the hold never budged. The muzzle over his face restricted his breathing and as he tired, Levi was breathing heavily through his nose. While struggling to pull adequate air into his lungs Levi finally took a look at his captor. 

It wasn’t a human. 

At least not fully. 

The figure stood mockingly calm over Levi, standing much taller than the human, lean and dressed similarly to what Erwin and Oluo had been dressed in. Dark hair was styled into a short undercut with his bangs parted in the center. A splattering of freckles decorated the young man’s face and dark brown eyes were firm, but also filled with… regret? 

Levi didn’t feel like he could put much stock into believing that look, not when it was obvious this was a creature and not one of Levi’s ilk. There were sharp points to his large ears and a scattering of black and white feathers sat in his dark locks. He was being careful to not slice Levi’s skin with the claws that tipped his fingers despite how the human struggled.

“Listen, I know you don’t want to be here, but from this moment on,” the demon took a breath, a small painful smile on his face as he started to lead Levi back towards the manor. Easily dragging him despite Levi being made of pure muscle and not exactly coming along willingly, “your actions won’t just have consequences for yourself, but can endanger all of the other humans here. Even if you do manage to make your escape, all that will mean is that someone else’s blood will be spilled in your place.” 

Not being able to say anything, Levi’s annoyance and disgust was spoken through his glare and huff through his nose. What did he care about the rest of the staff? In the Underground, it was everyone for themselves, Isabel and Farlan were the only exception to the rule in Levi’s eyes. 

A disappointed sigh came from the other in response to Levi’s dismissal. Marco, the name came back to Levi as he was pulled right back to the spot before his escape attempt. This was the half demon servant that was in charge of the normal slaves.

It seemed that Petra’s luck had been as rotten as Levi’s as the girl was being held by the shoulders by such a giant of a blond man that he was unsure if he was human or demon. He too wore a collar around his neck, but it was different from the one the rest of the small group wore. Half of it a dark green, the color that was laid across the throats of the many new faces, and the other half a sky blue color. 

Petra was silent in the other’s hold, but her chin was raised in silent defiance, refusing to sway under the disappointed looks of the others around her. Oluo was currently being supported by a dark haired human, holding his head with a hand in a grimace. He mumbled something softly which made both he and the man helping him move to the carriage, probably to put it away, Levi didn’t know. 

Erwin shook his head as Marco stopped before him with Levi, “I suppose I did say that you could do what you wished with my advice, but I didn’t think you would do something so brash so soon. It was a miscalculation on my part, my apologies, Marco.”

“It’s fine, no harm was done.” Marco answered, smiling easily and brightly, like he wasn’t currently holding onto a person that he was going to practically feed to a demon. Levi would much rather face a starving packs of wolves, fuck you very much. 

“I wouldn’t say that,” It was a new voice, coming from a young man with his long blond hair pulled into a bun at the back of his head. At the looks of confusion from the group, he gestured to Levi’s leg. 

The spot where his shin had collided with Marco was growing ever darker in color, in an hour or so, no doubt it would be a nasty looking mess of purples, blues, and reds. There were smaller bruises scattered about Levi’s body from his life in the Underground and from his fight against the demons during the harvest. This was the only new one, and it was large. 

Curses came from Erwin’s lips, breaking his cool composure as he ran a hand through his combed back hair, musing it messily. Levi had to wonder if one mark could really be so fucking detrimental. Just how possessive was his so called master? 

“If he continues to act the way he has, then maybe the lord will smack him around himself. ‘e might not notice it then.” The tall blond holding Petra muttered, shrugging as the girl sent a disgusted look back at him.

“Mike,” the man with the bun admonished, but didn’t say more than that. He probably held the same sentiments as the giant, Levi mused. Living under cruel demonic masters probably hardened these people as much as living in the slums did… if not more so. 

“It’ll do no good to worry about what happened in the past, don’t say anything unless it is brought up. That would be the best course for all involved.” Marco spoke up, his smile looking a little more strained now. “We’re wasting time, Eren will be expecting us to have everything settled before he arrives.”  

“Erwin, I leave you in charge here. Oluo and Gunter are taking care of the carriage. I’ll take care of…” Marco trailed off, obviously not informed of even the most basic information about the human he had been chasing. 

“Levi.” Erwin supplied before starting to spout out orders to the rest of the group, Petra being pulled inside of the manor and out of sight. 

Marco doing the same and the muzzle once again stopped Levi’s jaw from dropping, the mansion was breathtaking on the inside, even more so than the outside. Large chandeliers, dripping with crystals hung from the ceiling, tapestries, paintings, and portraits dotted the walls along with delicately twisting candle holders lit by unnatural white flames that lit up the place. Rich scarlet rugs were splayed across marble floors and pedestals were scattered about that held expensive looking, expressive sculptures. 

It was all so clean and it would have been truly beautiful, if not for the fact that many of the sculptures and paintings depicted horrible debaucherous scenes.They included both human like figures and ones that were completely the opposite.  

Still it was far better than the images of caves littered with bones and rotting flesh that Levi’s mind used to conjure up as a child when listening to tales about the atrocities that demons would commit on those that they snagged in their claws.

Two staircases spiraled down towards the entryway of the main floor, one of which Marco pulled Levi up. They didn’t stop there though, continuing up to the third story and taking the hallway to the left, then through more twisting and turning halls. Levi had to wonder if Marco was taking such a convoluted path just to fuck with him so he couldn’t remember the way back to the main entrance. 

Honestly, Levi was more apt to throw himself out of one of the many third story windows, gear or no gear. 

When they finally entered a set of large double doors, Levi didn’t need to be told that this was the master’s bedroom. Fan-fucking-tastic, at least he wasn’t being kept in a filthy dungeon. Only time would tell if that would have been more preferable.

Before he could take a look about it though, Marco pulled him through yet another door. This one leading to a grand bathroom, the floors covered in cold marble and walls painted a deep blue. Silver was what made up all of the metal in the room, the faucets leading into a large porcelain bath, which Levi found himself quickly bustled into after Marco used his claws to delicately strip him of his auction clothes. 

Despite knowing the human’s willingness to kick, Marco stooped down so he could put his hands next to the shackles attached to Levi’s ankles. Snapping his fingers a few times, the half fiend gritted his teeth as he only got a few sparks around his digits. Levi noticed the way that the tag hanging from the collar wrapped around the servant’s throat glowed whenever Marco snapped his clawed fingers. Perhaps the collar was spelled, creating a block on the other’s magic. It made sense, after all, if halflings could summon magic there had to be something to keep them in check when their master’s eyes were off them. 

It took a few tries, but eventually, the shackles that were wrapped tight around his ankles popped open. Marco scooped them up and set the discarded metal aside as he motioned Levi to sit down in the tub.   

Not like Levi could protest nor ask about any of this with his muzzle on and by now he knew that fighting would be useless anyway. 

Also getting clean didn’t exactly sound bad. 

The water was warm, another first for Levi who was used to the chill of the water from deep wells or the underground river. 

While the chains and shackles weren’t removed from his wrists, they still allowed Levi to be able to wash himself with the pine scented oils and lavender soaps by the side of the huge bath. Though when Levi started to scrub his skin almost raw to remove the feeling of those lingering hungry stares of the demons from the auction Marco urged him out of the tub, rinsing Levi off once the now murky water had been drained away.  

The entire process was silent, Marco seeming to sense that any pretty reassurances would not be appreciated by the human. That fact was driven home by the fact that Levi would flinch whenever Marco made a motion to touch him. The mixed blood in his veins making him far too demonic to be accepted by humans, but at the same time made him far too human among fiends. 

The fact that Marco was prettying him up to be devoured in one way or another by another demon wasn’t exactly putting him on Levi’s good side either. 

It wasn’t like Marco had any say in the matter either, what Eren Jaeger wanted, he got. 

Those that went against him didn’t tend to live very long. 

Silently Marco dried the pale young man off, being careful to not make more skin on skin contact than absolutely necessary. No clothing was offered to Levi and honestly, he didn’t seem surprised and offered no protest. Levi was obviously quick to accept that modesty no longer had a role in his life, if it had a part in it to begin with.  

There was no struggle when Levi was ushered back into the bedroom. 

Now Levi was able to take a good look at the room that might be his entire world now if his master so wished it. There were large windows that lined one wall that overlooked the entirety of the back courtyard. A set of glass double doors lead out to a cheery looking balcony, which Levi doubted that he would be let out onto it anytime soon. A large dresser with a mirror above it sat against another wall. A few bookcases filled with small novelties along with books laid upon its shelves and various chests sat against another wall. A fireplace, crackling with what seemed to be eternal blue flames sat to the left of the main doors and before the carefully carved setting was a short table with a couple of plush dark leather chairs and couches surrounding it. 

More tapestries and paintings were hung up, but they were of little interest to Levi as a small tug on his chain urged him towards the bed. 

What a monstrosity that was.

It was the biggest damn bed that Levi had ever seen. Maybe this was the rumored king size bed or even larger, Levi didn’t know. What he did know was that he, Farlan, and Isabel could have shared the mattress and would have had a shitton of room to spare. The pillows were a mixture of different shades of greens and deep blues, the comforter echoing the color. Four pillars of carved wood sprung up from each corner of the bed, the tip of each almost brushing against the ceiling. A wooden rung stretched between each of the pillars where silver and green curtains were hung to give the sleeper more privacy, but they were currently tied up.   

There was one thing that ruined this elegant image and it was the metal hook that was set into the wall just above the elegantly carved headboard. Marco was currently slipping Levi’s chain onto said hook and with that damned demonic strength, he pinched the metal together to prevent Levi from being able to pull it off. Marco prompted him to sit in the center of the bed on his knees, the chain short enough to prevent Levi from actually getting back off of the plush mattress if he tried. 

The servant then dashed to one of the chairs, as if sensing that his time was growing short, and pulled a silken strip of fabric from over the back of it. Carefully he drapped what Levi realized was a large shawl over him, the fabric laying over his head and covering his eyes from the room. The cloth was smooth and cool against his skin, but for some reason it also made Levi feel all too warm. There had been some design on it, but he hadn’t been able to pick it apart before it was over him. 

“Don’t move until the master comes, if you do, it might be Petra that suffers his annoyance later,” Marco’s voice was a soft whisper and Levi jerked slightly as it sounded far too close to his ear. Then the footsteps grew distant, the sound of the door opening and shutting softly. 

Levi was alone, and for now he decided to heed the advice.

So, he waited.

Still all this pomp and circumstance seemed stupidly unnecessary to him. The demon had already seen what Levi looked like, from a distance as it might have been. Then again, maybe all this prep was to get him ready for some terrifying ritual for which he was the sacrifice… Levi really needed to wring his imagination in, but sitting alone in silence led to his thoughts to run wild. 

_____________________

Business was over and done with for the day, a new pet was waiting in the manor, and Eren stole through the doors of his home as a silent shadow. Eager and quick. His mood had been black of late and today was the first real break in the long sour streak. Eren was looking forward to meeting his new possession properly.

Oh he’d seen him, if fleetingly, in the viewing room. The little human had been scraped up and half out of his mind on magic, but he’d instantly caught Eren’s eye. The reports to go with him were promising, some of the information startling. Regardless of what the handlers had said, Eren had already made up his mind.

And now the little human was his.

Eren could smell him, lingering traces of scent from where the human had been ushered quickly through the house to be prepared for his master’s arrival.

Marco had done his best to remove the traces of the markets and other scents that the humans had brought in with them. Eren had a keen nose, however. He wrinkled it in distaste at the faint but identifiable smell of marketplace dirt, the scent of the handlers that had pushed his little pet around, even the wood of the carriage. 

It could have been worse, and they’d been pressed for time, besides. Eren had rushed home. Normally he would have loitered a little to give his staff time to prepare the newcomer. At least one of this nature.

But he was too eager to greet his new pet.

Eren darted through the house, silent as the grave and fluid as smoke, until he stood before the doors to his private chambers. And there he gave pause.

Behind those doors a living, breathing toy awaited him. Eren could feel his warmth even on this side of the door, could hear his heartbeat working a steady rhythm. He was nervous, Eren could tell by the way that heartbeat was just a touch faster than it should have been. And those nerves were thickening his scent.

And what a scent. Eren couldn’t wait to know it intimately, to know this human’s taste, heavy on his tongue.

But that could wait. No use giving the poor thing a heart attack during their first real encounter.

With rising anticipation, Eren opened the doors. He breezed in, purposefully paying the figure seated in the middle of his bed no mind. Let them fret a little. Worry would only stir up that sweet scent more and Eren would happily drown himself in that smell.

The doors closed behind Eren at his will and he darted into the bathroom. Sighing happily to himself as the human’s scent was strong even here. He took his time cleaning, wondering what the little human was thinking out in his bedroom.

Were they frightened? Curious?

Eren washed the day off of him, wanting to be refreshed when he greeted his new pet. And when he was done, still dripping cooling bathwater, he sauntered straight for the bedroom. A robe materialised about him before he stepped out into view, preserving some modesty for now at least. Eren didn’t want to overwhelm his human right away. No doubt they’d been panicking enough just waiting on his arrival, he didn’t need to give them an eyeful right away.

The human didn’t appear to have moved an inch, still waiting on the mattress as still as a statue beneath the shawl covering. Embroidered across the rich material was the Jaeger Crest, a gaping titan’s maw wreathed in fanned wings, and complete with an ornately woven J. 

Eren suppressed a shiver at the sight. There was something that soothed him to the bone seeing his emblem draped over newly acquired property. It soothed his previously harried nerves at the scent of the other demons from the market and even that of his own servants near his new pet. 

This human was his now and only his, and Eren would make sure to keep it that way.

He blinked slitted eyes at the waiting mortal. So still, even though they must have detected his presence in the room again. Other than breathing, there was no motion at all.

“Did I keep you waiting long, little one?” Eren purred, padding further into the room.

There was no reply, but Eren wasn’t disappointed. He reached the mattress and waited at the edge, head tilting to the side to watch the silent figure.

“Come here, let me look at you.”

For a long moment there was only silence, the kind that radiated stubbornness. Eren felt himself grin at the hint of rebellion. It was always more fun when they had spirit. But then the figure did move, scooting across the mattress as far as their chain would allow – right to the edge, but not off of the bed. Eren could sense the frustration, and he’d planned for it to be that way. A teasing promise of freedom nearby, but not close enough.

Eren reached out, claws melting away as he gripped the edge of the shawl so as not to tear it, and he pushed the fabric gently back. It pooled around the human’s shoulders.

Seeing the muzzle still in place was a bit of a shock, but Eren remembered the warnings he had been given upon purchasing the little spitfire.

_ “Careful of that one, Lord Jaeger. Little bastard is tougher than he looks; got a mouth on him that would make a preacher faint, too.” _

Looking into defiant, grey orbs, Eren believed it. He’d never seen such an icy stare, so beautiful and yet promising violence.

Eren’s mouth pulled down to one side as his fingers gripped the muzzle, tugging gently. It was hard to appraise his new pet with such a device in the way and, despite the warnings, Eren decided to take it off. If he was honest, Eren was more than a little curious to find out exactly what had warranted the muzzle. He’d find out in person.

The human jerked back as the restraining device around his head evaporated into smoke, then nothing, and he was free. Immediately he groaned, working his stiff jaw with a wince.

Eren stared blatantly, the beginnings of a tiny smile building on his face.

_ Sin almighty _ , he was a pretty one. All angles, lean and downright delicious even with the furious scowl on his face. He made noises of discomfort as he got used to movement in his jaw again, and Eren expected that he would very much like the sound of this mortal’s voice.

Particularly when it was screaming in either pleasure or agony.

Then the human looked at him, really stared him down, and Eren grew still.

He felt the challenge, bit viciously back on the rising need to put this obstinate little mortal in his place. It was only their first day together, their first true meeting even, and he couldn’t blow off the handle so easily. Even so, Eren let a sinister note slide into his gaze, the defining light between a predator and its hapless prey, not even so much as breathing as he met that insolent stare. Let the human sweat a little.

But the raven refused to back down…and it was delicious.

There was something profoundly different about this human. He wasn’t like Eren’s last pet, not fragile or coy. Definitely not eager to please. This human looked strong, looked like he would sooner fight Eren than anything else…and from what Eren had heard, this human might just be able to land a few scratches on him. A feat that should have been impossible. And yet the world had a few less demons thanks to this mortal.

Amazingly, they’d still gone to the trouble of fetching the little rascal.

He was  _ exciting _ . Eren had never met a dangerous human before, and now here he was bringing one into his home. Had he been a lesser demon, Eren might have felt concerned for himself.

But he could more than handle this mortal.

To prove his point to himself, Eren reached out and took the human’s face in his hands. The skin he found was warm, already showing signs of responding to the thick scent of possession Eren had over his quarters. A good sign. But Eren didn’t let his mind wander too far down that path. He focused instead on soft hair, carding his hands through the newly washed locks. The strands had yet to fully dry, the black locks turned to ink by the lingering water. The dark strands were a stark contrast to the raven’s pale complexion, making him seem fragile like precious alabaster. A pretty, polished thing to be looked at.

And yet Eren could practically feel hate and malicious intent being burned into his skin by those fearsome eyes.

He smiled, trying to taunt a reaction out of the human. No such luck.

Maybe this one was smart?

Eren wondered fiercely what that mouth would look like outside of the grim line it was set in. Would it be soft? Or vicious? His bet was on the latter, but Eren would be happy to be proven wrong on that count. Eren was prepared to move slowly with this human if he had to. To coax the tension from that strong frame, to spoil and pamper and overwhelm him with pleasure.

It would be tricky to begin with.

Eren doubted the little human would allow himself to be kissed without some kind of a struggle, so they could work up to that. Eren could be patient. It wasn’t every day that he got a new toy to play with and he was eager to learn the ins and outs of his new plaything.

“What’s your name, little one?” Eren asked, because in his rush he had not thought to ask any of his staff.

No answer came, so Eren dipped his thumbs down the sides of the raven’s head and pressed lightly against pale temples. The human stiffened at the sudden probing magic, a strangled sound lodging in his throat. Eren searched his mind, brief and efficient, and smiled as he released his hold.

He had his answer.

“Levi is a lovely name, I would have preferred to have heard it from your lips. As you can see, there are other methods for the more…stubbornly inclined.”

Levi’s scowl grew even more menacing, Eren hadn’t thought it could be possible. But he’d succeeded in riling the little raven. 

Good.

If Levi thought that was rough, he’d soon be having a much worse time and Eren just couldn’t wait to begin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all the support you have given us so far! Your comments have all been so sweet, next chapter we give more detail of this umm, cough, handsome devil. Too bad Levi's not so enthused with how things are going as Eren. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave us a comment and tell us what you liked! Comments really do feed us and motivate our writing.


	3. Demented Dear

“Forgive my sentimentality, but you  really do  look divine. My very own little angel.”

One of the first things out of his new apparent owner’s mouth, and of course it was some messed up mix of false endearment and mockery.

Free of his muzzle for the first time since arriving, Levi sneered. “If I’m an angel, then the world truly is fucked.”

Maybe not a smart choice of words for their official introduction, but Levi couldn’t bring himself to regret the decision. It was far better to reveal his true colors as soon as possible, it was the only way that he would be able to gauge how far he might be able to push this monster. Levi could only hope that as it was his first day, he would be given a ‘grace’ period of sorts, ironic as the name might be. 

Still Levi found himself staring, hiding his surprise at the other’s appearance under a harsh scowl. He had only a few glances at the demon from the viewing room and the auction, but now, face to face, he was able to pick so many more details of this… devil. Skin, tarnished into a rich bronze from long days in the sun, was stretched taut over lean, but obvious muscle. Tall, much taller than Levi himself by well over a head and a half. The top of Levi’s head would probably only just reach the middle of the other’s sternum, which it, along with the demon’s collarbones could be seen peeking out of the emerald colored silken robe he wore. His ears were tipped, much like those of the blond demon that Levi had seen before. Sharp teeth with pronounced canines that looked ready to rip his flesh from bone glinted brightly in the light.

Something flicked about the bottom of the robe that grabbed Levi’s attention, spotting a long, wispy tail. The spade shaped tip flicking back and forth in what seemed to be amusement and excitement. Black, ram like horns probably about the width of Levi’s hands sat on either side of his head. Ribbed and solid looking with the very points of which looked sharp. These weren’t really made for cutting or piercing though, how the demon used them Levi didn’t know, nor did he want to find out. 

The demon appeared older than himself, looking in his late twenties or more, but in reality who knew how ancient this creature was. He seemed to have a reputation from what Levi had experienced at the market, along with having the power and wealth to claim Levi as his despite the desperate clamor of other demons to obtain him. 

Dark, chocolate colored locks fell to his chin, but reached longer in the back. It looked wild, almost messy, but seemed natural. 

Shorter bangs rested before those bright eyes. 

Those orbs of color were mesmerizing, teal, appearing more blue or green depending on how the demon turned his head. A tiny ring of gold seemed to hug close to the cat-like pupils, like bright sand shining in the sun before giving way to the vicious waves of the sea. 

While Levi could admit to himself that this creature was handsome, he knew true ugliness laid just beneath.

“Oh my.” Eren blinked wide eyes, his mouth twitching in mostly concealed amusement. “But he certainly doesn’t sound like an angel. I suppose it was too much to ask for. Pretty eyes, pretty face, but what a nasty little mouth you’ve got on you.”

“Listen, creep. You can stop with the grand intimidation speech and tell me what the hell is going to happen to me. People are awful shifty about giving straight answers around here and it’s just about driving me up the wall.”

Perhaps the demon was just like the high ranking military pigs that sauntered around the Underground from time to time. Throwing their titles and names about in an effort to cow the people they saw as below them, all without ever raising an actual hand to do any dirty work. 

“They said you were mouthy. That’s going to be  _ fun _ .” Eren’s mouth curved into a sharp-toothed grin on the last word, silent and threatening.

And somehow playful. 

_ Yikes. _

“Shut it. You don’t scare me, you big windbag.”

Big, was fucking right, while Eren stood much taller than his new pet his presence seemed to loom even larger than his physical one. 

“That’s one hell of an attitude you brought with you.”

“They didn’t exactly let us pack belongings. You could say it’s all I’ve got.”

It really was, Levi was separated from Petra, his one ally, in this new prison. It seemed that the only ‘people’ that Levi would be having contact with for a long while would be Marco, Erwin, and Eren. 

“Unfortunate. Did you leave behind many pretty things, poor darling?”

“Moron. Have you even seen where your precious merchandise comes from? Possessions don’t exactly come with the territory.” The vertical maneuver gear had been Levi’s most precious and only possession, but it was now in pieces on some bastard’s roof. 

“Poor lamb, I’ll fix all that. You’ll want for nothing here, I can promise you.” 

The words were practically a coo as a tanned hand moved to cup the strikingly pale cheek of his new prize once more. He had heard the tales of these humans that came out of a world of darkness, skin pale as fresh snow as they had never before been touched by the rays of the sun. Perhaps Eren would try to continue keeping Levi away from the sun, preserve this hypocritical image of purity stamped on the foul mouthed treasure.

“Well that’s a lie because I want to go home and that’s not about to happen, is it?”

Eren paused, regarding the raven with a suddenly blank look. “You’re trying awfully hard to get on my nerves, aren’t you?”

It wasn’t a direct answer to Levi’s question, but even so Eren made it quite clear that Levi wouldn’t be going anywhere he didn’t want him to as his hand moved to trail through soft dark locks. Levi couldn’t have known at the time that the touches were a way for the demon to spread his scent over him, overpowering the weak one that Marco left behind.

“Oh I’m not trying. It just happens.” Levi smiled, though it was mostly a show of teeth, trying to ignore the not so subtle tingle of claws traveling across his scalp. “Your butler sucks.” He added.

“Erwin?” Eren wondered aloud, eyes thoughtful. “Yes indeed, if he didn’t think to forewarn you about how mouthing off could get you in trouble.”

“The rules I heard just fine.”

“And? You thought you’d just go and break them all? You think you’re the first brave little spitfire whose come here, all attitude and no forethought? Don’t disappoint me. I like you, little one. Be smarter than your predecessor, for everyone’s sake. It would put me in a right foul mood to have to find another replacement so soon after today’s little outing.” The demon’s tone had hardened as he chastised Levi. 

“Fuck you.”

“Is that an  _ offer _ ?” Eren outright purred at the insinuation, watching Levi pale a fraction. The playful look melted off of Eren’s face, replaced with something uninterested. “ _ Think _ before you hiss at me, little viper.”

Shit, shit, Erwin hadn’t been wrong. The littlest things set this freak off and Levi didn’t want to find out what kind of messed up punishments would be in store if he kept up the attitude.  Better to play it safe for now, though Levi knew in the back of his mind that his own nature would no doubt make such a thing short-lived.

“Who was that whispy little creep that came visiting before we left for here?” Levi asked, deflecting before they could get into dangerous territory.

“Hmm?” Eren hummed at him, good-natured all of a sudden. “Armin introduced himself, did he?”

“Armin. Was he supposed to be all over your butler, then? Seemed awful friendly.”

Levi had never seen someone’s expression get so dark so fast. If the price of escaping Eren’s ire was to throw Erwin under the metaphorical carriage, then so be it. While the blond had only followed his orders and tried to warn the newcomers about behaving, Levi wasn’t exactly fond of him. 

“Did he touch you?” Was the first question out of Eren’s mouth, and his voice sounded… different.

It was enough to make Levi shake his head, eyes a little wide at the change. What the hell? Levi internally grimaced as he realized that the phrase was all too fitting for his situation and knew that he would be wondering those exact words many times in the near future. 

Just like that the black look vanished and Eren sighed, looking more frustrated than anything else.

“He was harassing Erwin again, wasn’t he?”

Levi nodded. What kind of relationship did the pair of demons have where one was daring enough to disregard what was obviously a long standing rule in Eren’s home? Armin, Levi remembered those calculating blue and incredibly hungry looking eyes crawling over the other servant. If the term eat with your eyes was literal, Levi doubted that there would have even been bones left behind of Erwin. 

“And he touched him?”

Another nod. “He was rubbing his wrist on the guy’s neck. Pretty creepy if you ask me.”

Eren growled. “I see. Thank you for your honesty. I’ll have a  _ word _ with Armin. I suppose this is the reason why he only dropped me off and didn’t dally here.”

The way the demon uttered the words made Levi suspect that it wasn’t just going to be a verbal bashing that Armin received. However, it seemed that Eren’s annoyance was aimed at only his friend rather than the servant which led Levi to believe that this was a far too common occurrence for Eren to not immediately shoulder the blame towards the human. 

Levi wondered how many compromising positions that the blond demon had tried to force on Erwin. Maybe it was some demented game that Armin was playing? Seeing how far he could test Eren’s limits before he really put his foot down or killed Erwin to eliminate the problem. That look on Armin’s face though… Levi found himself doubting that the demon’s goal was to end Erwin’s life in such a way. No, he suspected the fate Armin had planned for Erwin was probably much worse. 

If Eren had friends like that, Levi did not want to meet his enemies. 

“Enough about Armin, I want to see more of you, precious.”

The words and feel of the silk sliding off of his shoulders jared Levi out of his thoughts, finding the shawl now laying over his lap. Blue grey eyes flicked up to see the demon’s eyes trailing slowly over the new skin that was revealed to him. Tanned hands were twitching with obvious desire to touch. 

And Eren briefly wondered why shouldn’t he? He owned this human now, his flesh, blood, and soul were all available for him to sample at his leisure.

With that mindset, Eren let his hand trail down from the dark hair, warm fingers trailed down the pale column of the human’s neck. Levi would be needing a collar and the thought of the other’s neck bearing his crest made a smile creep to Eren’s lips. He hummed at the thought, thumb brushing over Levi’s adam’s apple as that would be wear the collar would rest. Eren felt the nub bob under his thumb as the human took what was probably an unconsciously nervous gulp from nerves.

Not exactly an unwarranted nervousness, mind you.

Poor thing, under all his bravo, Eren was certain that Levi was rightly terrified of what might happen to him. One hand remained buried in the inky locks, scratching lightly at the back of the human’s skull and delighting in the feeling of the short slightly prickly hairs that grew from Levi’s undercut. Fingers trailed along the other’s head to trace behind one ear before wandering back across the back of the skull to give the same treatment to the other side. The pace of his hand slow and constant, lulling, as Levi’s shoulders slumped slightly.

Slowly Eren’s other hand drifted away from the other’s throat, trailing his hand over each shoulder, fingers dipping into the shallow grooves that his collarbones made. Then down the length of each arm, the whole time Eren dragged his wrist, spreading his scent over the raven and broadcasting it loud and clear that this human was off limits.

“What are y-.” A finger was pressed to his lips as Eren shushed him, like he was trying to settle down a fussing infant.

“Stop, lamb, I’m only wanting to examine you for now. No need to get upset.”

Levi glared ahead of himself to keep him from biting (perhaps literally) back. His body shivered as a warm hand trailed down his chest, feeling over a body moulded from a life of hardship. Levi was neither embarrassed or overly proud of his body, but this was a new experience. Physical contact had never been something that he sought out, although that was probably because the residents of the Underground were more likely to knife you than hug you nine times out of ten. The most Levi ever did bother with was when Isabel, Farlan, and he had to cuddle together in winter to preserve body heat. Outside of that, most contact was punching and kicking. 

Never before had Eren encountered a human so... physically delicious. He chuckled as he heard a hiss escape from between Levi’s teeth as he trailed his fingers down towards the pool of fabric over the little one’s lap.

He let his hand hover there, enjoying the spike in Levi’s scent as it filled the room. Anxious anticipation. Then Eren pulled both of his hands away.

“Lay down and roll over onto your front.” Eren purred, keeping his voice low and his urges to jump the pretty raven in check.

For now.

Silence and a suspicious glare answered the request as Levi didn’t make any attempt to follow the order. Still Eren was pleased to see color staining the other’s cheeks pink.

“Levi, I can make you do it myself if you try to be a brat about it.”

A brat?! The word made Levi feel indignant, he was a grown ass man thank you very much. Not a snot nosed, sniveling child waddling around with shit in their pants and not knowing how to fix it. Eren was playing him, but being manhandled (or demonhandled as the case was) more than he already was being currently wasn’t exactly ideal either. 

Sending as much hatred and disgust into his gaze as he could as he locked eyes with the grinning monster above him for a few moments before Levi forced himself to move. Laying flat horizontally across the giant bed on his front he forced himself not to panic as he felt the demon settled himself on all fours over him. 

Shifting his hips told Levi that the demon’s knees were resting on either side of his thighs. Then the wandering hands were back, moving first over his upper back and then trailing lower. Warm palms crested over his ass at the same moment that a pair of lips pressed against his right shoulder blade. The kiss felt hot, like a fire poker that had been shoved up Satan’s furnace of an asshole for ten years and then pressed against his skin, hot. But at the same time, it didn’t… burn? But the heat washed through Levi’s whole body like a physical thing and the sensation made a confused groan escape him.   

Above him, Eren gave an appreciative hum.

“Poor thing,” he cooed, like Levi was some starving kitten he'd rescued, “they treated you terribly didn’t they? You’re covered in bruises, I could kiss them all better for you.” 

“Kiss my a-.” Levi cut himself off as he realized that the demon would probably be more than delighted to do so. Eren’s chuckle was warm against his shoulder before Levi felt the other pull himself away. When he was told to roll back over, Levi did so immediately. Eyes closed as he didn’t want to see that mocking expression bearing down on him. 

However, when a loud snarl echoed in the room, blue grey eyes snapped open as he found himself face to face with very pissed off demon. The rage in those bright orbs made a shiver of fear run down Levi’s spine. He had followed the orders, what the fuck was the other’s problem now?

Eren was having trouble doing anything more than seething right about then.

Despite having entered his chambers with the resolved intention of not scaring his new pet to death on the first day, Eren couldn’t hold back an outraged snarl. Decorating Levi’s shin was a mark that had certainly not been there earlier. Already dark against pale flesh, this was a fresh bruise. Colourful and new. This wasn’t something that one missed easily, and Eren had been thorough in his observations in the private rooms.

Someone had laid a hand on his pet. Who would  _ dare? _

“ _ Where did this come from? _ ” Eren demanded, too angry to check his voice.

The words rattled out like trapped thunder, filling the room.

Unused to the untempered vocals, Levi struggled on instinct in his tight hold.

That wouldn’t do. Eren lurched closer, eyes wide and  _ burning _ . There was a tiny voice in his head that urged him to be gentle, and he paid it only as much focus as he could spare in the near-blind rage he was falling into.

“Levi.” Eren had to bite back a growl. “Lamb,” he tried again, gentler this time but barely, “you’re not in trouble. But you need to tell me who dared to do this to you so that I can make it right.”

If the words made it through, Levi gave no indication of it.

Levi seemed to be in a bit of shock. He just stared up at Eren as though seeing him for the first time, though that was probably because this was the first real example of wrath the raven had witnessed from Eren. At heart, demons were simple beings. They liked chaos and torment. And while they could play at being sly and charming all day long, once their short tempers snapped that was it. No going back, not until there had been retribution. Something to extinguish the flames of rage.

And few demons could go into a rage quite like Eren could.

“Levi.” Eren growled out the word.

With no answers forthcoming, Eren moved directly to the next best method. Arguably the best method for getting answers, full stop. But it was not pleasant.

Levi had had a taste of mental probing already today, but this would be a little more uncomfortable. Eren latched onto the raven’s head, growling low, and stared hard into Levi’s wide eyes. Eren read the memories that came to him like they were transcribed for him on parchment, like a story playing out before his eyes.

A chase. Levi and the other newcomer had attempted to flee the grounds almost immediately after exiting the carriage. How bold of them. The manor staff hurriedly collected themselves, rushing desperately to recover the merchandise before Eren could arrive home and witness the fiasco. With Levi being the more urgent matter to bring under control, Marco had gone after him. A priority case, good. And that’s where things went sideways. Eren saw it coming, the coiling violence in Levi’s form, the way he was preparing to strike even as he fled. His human was brave. Foolishly so. Levi, not knowing any better, had attempted to fight Marco as though it would have been an equal fight. Trying to overwhelm his pursuer, the raven had gone for a head-on attack. And then…impact. The shock of an immovable object. Eren felt Levi’s pain as if it had been his own, tasted the confusion that had clouded Levi’s mind with the jarring sensation. On any other day, with any other human, the chaos would have delighted Eren.

Here and now, it only made him see red.

Then black.

Eren shut his eyes at a strained sound from Levi, forcing his darkened eyes to return to their normal shade. Calm down, don’t hurt him. Don’t add to his bruises. Eren let his grip on the raven’s mind ease back.

When Levi took in a few, gasping breaths Eren knew he was back in control of himself again.

He thought of apologizing, but the issue of Marco’s punishment was more urgent in his mind. Loyal or not, Marco should have known better.

With a growl, low and menacing, Eren disappeared from his chambers.

Levi was left dazed on the bed, blinking stupidly at the canopy of luxurious material tented above the bed as his mind came back to itself.

Levi could breathe. He could  _ think _ again without feeling another darting about amidst thought and memory.

There hadn’t ever been anything so invasive done to Levi before that point. Diving right into his head. Rifling through memories like they were up on display in some great library, there for anyone to take. What else could Eren do when he was in such a powerful state? Could he rewrite Levi’s memories? Program his thoughts? Could Eren really just tweak and torment until Levi didn’t even recognize himself inside?

That might have been the scariest moment of realization yet.

It left the raven in a demure state, thoughtful and quiet.

This fear and constant worrying was his life now…and Levi hated it. He didn’t want to be cowed by the fear that he’d lose himself in this living hell, didn’t want to be scared of his own fucking shadow.

But Levi was out of his depth here. Fighting back had only gotten him more battered than before. And withholding answers had made his new master so angry that he tore through Levi’s thoughts and then raced off to do who knew what?

Erwin’s warnings about consequences drifted back to Levi then. The damned blonde had been right. So had Marco.

It wasn’t just Levi who could get into trouble over Levi’s own actions.

Oh Goddesses, what would happen to Marco for all this? It hadn’t even been his fault, Levi should have known that anyone who could catch up to him so quickly and manage to stop him in his tracks couldn’t have been human. But Eren had been so angry…did Levi really want to turn that anger on himself? He didn’t even know Marco. They’d only met today, and he was a half-fiend. Not only that, but he was one of the people responsible for delivering Levi right into Eren’s hands like some kind of present.

Still guilt clung to Levi like a stubborn leech, sucking out his usual apathy to be replaced with something that sat heavy in his gut. Fuck, this wasn’t something that he was used to feeling. There were a lot of things he wasn’t used to experiencing, but had been practically forced down his throat the moment he had entered the demons’ lands. All of these foreign emotions of stagnant fear, rage, guilt, and confusion churned about in his empty stomach. 

He hadn’t eaten in a long time he realized, but the thought of food just made him queasy. Then again, being hungry wasn’t an unfamiliar feeling for Levi. A painful twang that was so constant that he barely noticed it. Like the crackling of a fire, it faded into the background of his thoughts like static. 

So, Levi just continued to lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling and it almost seemed to take too much effort to cover his lap with the shawl, but he did it. There didn’t seem to be a point to do so since Eren had already seen him naked and so had Marco at this point. But it helped ground him, any kind of normalcy in this situation he would cling to. Though the fabric was probably worth a fortune, something so fine that he never dream to ever cover himself with. Hopefully this small bout of movement wouldn’t earn more of Eren’s rage if it against some bullshit rule. 

The lighting of the room gradually turned more golden as the sun continued to roam across the sky, unaffected by any horrors it no doubt shined down upon. A symbol of divine warmth and giver of life, it casually strolled over demon lands unhindered and indifferent.

Only the changing light gave Levi any clue to how much time had passed and he almost sighed in relief at the sound of the door opening. Something that finally broke the silence in the room. 

Honestly, Levi was tempted to act childishly by refusing to lift his head and face Eren. But he wasn’t a coward despite having every right to be after what he had witnessed. 

It wasn’t the demon though that greeted Levi’s wary eyes, it was a head of blond hair.

Erwin. 

The servant entered the room slowly, obviously cautious of his footing as he balanced a tray in his hands. Erwin’s expression was neutral, focused only on his task as he barely spared a glance towards the figure on the bed as he crossed the distance from the the doors to the nightstand on the left side of the fluffy mattress. 

Silently Erwin picked up and flicked open a piece of wood from between the bed and nightstand that opened itself into a small platform which Erwin placed the tray on top of. The smell wafting from it perked Levi’s interest, though he still made no effort to get up yet. Unsure if it was safe to do so. 

Erwin knew the rules so when he urged softly for the raven to sit up, Levi did so. The blond hadn’t been wrong yet when concerning how this shithole worked so it was probably alright to listen to his commands. 

After Levi crossed his legs to balance himself as he sat on the bed Erwin picked the shawl up and draped it back over his shoulders. White gloves adorned the high ranking slave’s hands Levi noticed. He was pretty damn sure that they hadn’t been there earlier either. Another new aspect he noticed, was the fact that Erwin wouldn’t look him in the eyes.

While Erwin didn’t seem worried or angry with Levi, the lack of emotion honestly just made the raven feel more anxious. What secrets could be hiding behind those thin lips? Levi realized grimly that Erwin really would be his only link to the world outside of this room for a while. Demons were creatures of deception and rage, Levi wouldn’t be able to trust half of the shit that Eren spewed out. 

No doubt, Eren would lie about the half demon’s fate however he wished to pull a reaction out of his pet. 

“I didn’t rat Marco out.” 

The words came out far faster and more desperate than Levi wanted them to, but he needed to know if he had sentenced the poor sap to getting his guts pulled out and braided into fancy knots by an overly possessive demon that didn’t seem to care that it was Levi at fault the most for getting himself hurt. 

“I never said that you did, Nine.” Erwin answered dismissively, skilled hands moving to pour an amber liquid from a porcelain teapot into a matching cup. The gracefulness of the blond’s movements reminded Levi of the fluidity of how a hardened soldier handled their blades. While Levi didn’t know the history of the other human, he suspected it might just be as blood covered as his own. 

Perhaps they were both stained in it, Levi with most of the red coming from others. For Erwin, Levi imagined that it was more of his own blood that had been spilt in the service of demons. He had to have been in demon lands for a long time for how well he apparently knew their behaviors. 

“Nine?” What the fuck was with that? 

“The servants are not supposed to call you by your name, instead we are to either to refer to you by the name that the master chooses or by the number you are. In this case, you are replacing Lord Jaeger’s eighth pet, therefore making you, Nine.” Erwin answered simply, Levi was quick and obviously didn’t need more explanation on what the blond was alluding to. 

“Fuck, so what? Maybe the ninth time’s the charm?” Eight. There had been eight pets before him, eight lives snuffed out by Eren. Levi really was all too replaceable to the lord and it struck a chord inside of him. He wasn’t going to die here, he internally admonished himself as his panic rose. 

“Who can say?” Erwin answered as he handed a cup and saucer to the human, noticing the slight tremble to the pale shackled hands, but making no comment on it. From the smell in the room and the intact state Levi was in, it seemed Eren had stormed out before he did anything too extreme with the human. 

“You’re a ray of sunshine, hope, and optimism.”  

“I could say the same to you.” Erwin countered, watching as Levi cautiously lifted the steaming cup to his lips, probably only now noticing the parched state of his throat. 

How many hours had the harvest been? Levi hadn’t had a drink of water since the morning of it. Slowly he took a sip, unsure of what concoction Erwin was serving him and Levi’s eyes widened, whatever the fuck this was, it was delicious. He risked scalding his throat to swallow down more of it, Erwin filling the cup wordlessly. 

Though Levi did catch the raised brow Erwin sent him at the way he was holding his cup. 

The silence stretched between the two of them, heavy in the air before Levi asked swirling the liquid in his cup slowly now that his frenzy to rehydrate had lessened, “What’s going to happen to Marco?”

“I don’t know,” Erwin muttered, folding his hands behind his back to hide his own anxiety over the matter. “The lord summoned Marco to his work room a while ago. I do not know what punishment he will receive.” 

“It wasn’t his fault, me kicking him wasn’t exactly in his control.” he practically growled the words out, Marco wasn’t to blame for Levi making a break for it. 

“No it wasn’t, was it?” 

Icy blues glared at the blond,”You know your rhetorical rhetoric to make me feel guilty really isn’t appreciated.” 

But, by Maria, it was working.

“Just be aware of what I said before; this is a game and if one pawn falls, the effect is felt by all the rest.” Seeing as Levi had quenched his thirst he took the cup back and picked up the tray once more. He needed to leave before Eren returned, not wanting to be around despite being on the demon’s orders to provide that minimal service to his new pet. 

The blond gave one last word of advice as he opened the doors and started to duck out, “I don’t think Marco will be killed, but whatever it is will be unpleasant. Heed my words, give Eren what he wants to a point, you’ll live longer if you do. Be too boring or too resistant and you’ll be a meal in bed.”

With those words to chew on, Erwin was gone. 

It was hours before Eren returned and every minute that stretched on in eerie silence only made Levi worry more. Surely if there was any kind of torture going on...he’d know about it, right? He’d hear it?

And yet the manor remained silent. It was as if the house was entirely empty, despite Levi knowing that a plethora of staff were wandering about getting on with various chores.

Levi had tried counting the time in seconds, working his way through the hours. If he was anywhere near correct, it was just over three hours before Eren entered his chambers once more.

The doors swung open and Levi stiffened, sitting up in a hurry. Eren breezed in as though there wasn’t a worry in the world, a carefree look on his face that was a stark contrast to how he’d left the room. When he looked up and found Levi exactly where he’d left him (not like he could physically  _ go  _ anywhere) Eren downright beamed at him.

“Hey there, precious. I’m sorry for my behaviour earlier, on our first day together, too. You must be very upset with me, I’m sure, but let me make it up to you. Can I make it up to you, little one?”

Levi stared at the demon, thrown for a loop. He had no idea how to interpret Eren’s moods; one second he was fine, the next he was downright murderous.

The raven risked a nod, unsure if he could speak. And what would he have even said if he could?

Sure, Mr. Demon, let’s get to know each other. Sounds like fun? Yeah right.

Still even the nod of assent had Eren flashing another dazzling smile. For a creepy motherfucker, Levi admitted that Eren wasn’t ugly. He was well groomed for a beast, tall and clearly strong. Even with the added benefit of demon magic, his figure spoke of strength in the corded muscle Levi could see shift under tawny skin as Eren moved. Who knew how much of it was the real Eren and how much was an illusion, but this version of the boyish fiend was downright handsome. If only he wasn’t also batshit crazy.

Eren slinked his way over to the bed, crawling over the mattress with all the languid grace of a cat.

“What shall we do, hm?” Eren wondered aloud as he reached Levi, leaning down onto the mattress nearby and reaching out to make a grab for Levi’s toes. He smiled when Levi shifted his feet to avoid him. “We could pick up where we left off, yes? Or does my little lamb have a request?”

A request? Yeah, Levi could think of a fucking few: being let go, for Eren to go off himself, or his favorite have Eren spontaneously combust while his screams of agony were like the bells of freedom to Levi’s ears. However he doubted that any of those suggestions would be appreciated. 

If he didn’t say anything though, Levi suspected that the demon would gleefully return to his strange touching session or something worse. With a demented mind, Eren could come up with things far far worse than whatever Levi could imagine. 

Right?

Honestly, Levi knew whatever he said would probably only serve as a minor delay in the inevitable… whatever it was. Still a distraction was a distraction, feeling another twinge in his stomach gave him an idea. Well two birds with one stone as they say. Or in this case, feeding his ass and also protecting it from further violation hopefully.

Levi looked at the demon from the corner of his eye, turning his head to the side like he was embarrassed with the request, “Do you often let your pets starve?”

What was supposed to be a submissive, perhaps even seductive, look was ruined by the loud growl Levi’s stomach gave. Fuck, while it went along with his suggestion, it certainly made heat rush to his cheeks. He was used to little food, but he now thought that it had been longer than one day for his stomach to revolt so loudly against him like that. 

A chuckle escaped Eren at the sound, while far from cute coming from a scowling man despite his beauty. It proved that Levi really wasn’t invincible and did have the same basic needs as other humans. Needs that Eren could easily use against him if he chose to. 

“Poor thing, you’re hungry hmm?”

The way that Eren cooed to him like a toddler barely able to communicate the simplest of desires made Levi’s skin crawl. This time he had to literally bite into his lower lip to keep himself from hissing out a threat of some sort. Instead Levi watched silently as Eren drifted off the bed to pick up a quill and paper from on top of the dresser, scrawling something across it the parchment then erupted in flames. 

The smell of smoke, along with the sight of the small inferno made Levi flinch, damn demon magic. Eren seemed to be pulling every ‘subtle’ trick in the book to both show off and intimidate him. Play with the rage of a demon and you were bound to get burned. 

Message received loud and clear. 

“There we go, we’ll get you fed in a little bit.” Eren announced cheerily as he made his way back to the bed. Crawling on top of it, the demon moved himself so that his back was pressed against both the headboard and the mountain of cushions sitting at the top of the bed. Eren spread his legs lazily, his robe opening slightly with them but still managing to cover his most important bits from sight. 

Slowly, Eren reminded himself as he patted the space between richly tanned thighs for Levi. When he only got a suspicious glare from the raven he chuckled. My, it seemed that this human was willing to fight him over the smallest things and while he urged himself to be gentle. Eren knew that he needed to start nipping Levi’s attitude in the butt before it got out of hand. 

“Come on, darling. I won’t bite…well, not much.” 

Yeah, those probably weren’t the words that Eren should have said as he watched Levi’s hands twitch by his sides. The demon knew that motion well, it was the desire for a weapon. Back where Levi had come from, he must have been packing plenty of hidden blades on his person at all times. Being so defenseless was throwing the poor human off balance. Eventually, Levi would have to realize that Eren was both his protector and tormentor.

Eren was all too sure that a meeting with some of his other  _ friends _ would prove that fact to Levi. 

For now he settled for using the tiniest bit of force to remind his pet of his place. Voice dropping a little lower as he lifted a hand to tug on Levi’s chain, almost sending the human face first into the mattress as his arms, which were supporting his weight, were almost tugged out from under him. 

“Come.”

Grimacing at the fact that he was being called like a dog, Levi forced himself to slowly move closer to the grinning beast. As soon as he was within touching distance, one of Eren’s arms snapped out. Grabbing hold of Levi’s wrist the demon pulled him quicker to him. Levi was shocked as he was moved about like a weightless doll by the demon’s hands as he was tugged this way and that by Eren until he was satisfied with his pet’s placement. 

Sitting with his back against Eren’s chest and legs splayed out against the taller male’s. 

Eren’s chest was vibrating with his happy purrs at the pretty sight in front of him as the shawl had fallen away in his re-positioning of his little one. His fingers started to trail down the smooth pale chest, chuckling as he watched the trim, muscled stomach sucking further in when Eren drew his fingers closer to it and then over it. Drifting lower, but stopping on a bony hip, just short of his prize. 

Levi was tense and he barely breathed as Eren rubbed his thumb over his hipbone idly. Suspecting that the moment he started to relax, the demon would make his move and strangle his dick or something worse. 

But his muscles could only stay taunt for so long as both waited, both seeing if the other would act at their close proximity. 

Seeming to know that, for the moment, he could do nothing, Levi sagged in Eren’s grip, brow twitching at the pleased sound that rumbled out from Eren as a result. However, Eren didn’t do anything more, continuing to just rub small circles with his thumb as relaxed a little more into the cushions. 

Hopefully in a few days, his pet would be soft and compliant to his demands, but that fire would be very difficult to douse completely, there would always be embers of resistance buried under the ashes of obedience. 

“Why don’t we get to know each other a little more, hmm?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, thanks so much to those that have commented on the story, they really make both of our days. 
> 
> Who's going to crack first Levi or Eren and commit an act they regret? What delicious secrets might Levi's body be hiding from the raven himself, Eren's all too eager to discover them.


	4. Devilish Surprises

Levi rolled his eyes at the suggestion. It made sense that Eren would want more information, all the juicy details of his new human’s life up until the unfortunate point where he'd fallen into demon hands.

At least Eren was asking this time instead of just tearing through Levi’s mind for answers. 

“Not like I have a choice,” Levi huffed, still no less bitter about the situation, “you’ll just do your mind reading bullshit if I say no.” 

Eren hummed his acknowledgement, something amused in the sound. He knew exactly how much of an advantage he had over the human and was ready to exploit that.

“True, but I really do like the sound of your voice, lamb. Even if your bleats are sharp as a raven’s call.” Eren answered, thinking through what he wanted to know first. Probably it was best to get the most basic information from Levi as he could. “Is there anything you can’t eat? Any food that you don’t particularly like?”

Levi hardly knew how to answer that.

There hadn't been a whole lot of variety in the foods he and his friends had managed to survive off in the Underground. If he was allergic to anything, there was little way of knowing.

“I don’t eat fish,” Levi answered, not exactly an allergy but better than not replying at all, “other than that I’m not very picky. Couldn’t afford to be where I’m from.”

After living where sewer water and old cloudy wells were the only sources of water he had grown up around, Levi didn’t trust anything that came out of it. He’d rather eat something that was half rotten, and he had more times that he would ever like to admit, than eat something that was slimy and covered in scales. 

Eren gave an odd clucking sound by his ear, as though he was personally dissatisfied at the news of Levi’s less than resplendent living conditions. 

The brunet nuzzled his face against Levi’s hair, like the possessive contact could soothe away even the past.  How Eren didn’t smack those large ram-like horns into Levi’s skull, the human didn’t know. But he was silently grateful nonetheless that he wasn’t getting bashed by them. 

“How old are you, lamb? You seem young, but so hardened.” 

“Twenty-four, give or take three or four years.” 

At the sound of confusion from the demon behind him, Levi elaborated further, “No sun in the Underground, days kind of fucking bleed together. Only season you’re aware of is winter as it’s cold enough to lose a couple of toes or fingers. People are more willing than usual to kill you for your boots at that time too.”

Eren felt his lips pulling down as he listened to Levi’s explanation of the dim world he had come from. While the demon lands were a mess of organized chaos and bloodshed, this ‘Underground’ was just chaos. The humans they harvested from such a place, no wonder their souls were so very delicious. Tainted by violence, greed, hardship, and isolation, the souls had a much richer flavor and the blood flowing through their veins was like the finest wine, refined with sins. 

That was the reason that demons were so willing to sell a leg or arm for one of the humans from the harvests. Most likely the appendage would grow back anyway. 

“Any family?” Eren would be more than pleased to get a few more humans like his little pet under his thumb. Levi smelled oh so delicious that Eren found himself almost drooling when his thoughts would wander. 

“No.” 

The answer was short and Eren could taste that it wasn’t quite true, but also wasn’t quite false. He decided not to press him for more information, feeling like bring it up might upset Levi somehow and besides it wasn’t that important at the moment with the little human wrapped up in his arms now. 

“When was the first time that you killed someone?”

Levi blinked, silent for a few moments as he was caught off guard by the question. Of all the things to ask, that hadn’t been one that Levi imagined. When was the first time he had taken another’s life? It had been in self defense he was certain, a time when he was forced to look out for himself without that man standing behind him. 

“Maybe around ten or so.” 

“My, what a cruel world you came from, children having to kill to survive.” Eren cooed, though it was filled with false compassion. If such an environment produces creatures such as Levi, the demon was all for it. 

“Tell me Levi, how many have left the land of the living because of your hand?” His tone had dropped, his desire pooling as he imagined Levi standing on top of a pile of corpses, covered in blood and looking like a wrathful angel with his bright eyes shining in the moonlight. 

“Don’know, lost count after thirty,” Levi mused before letting out a short yelp as suddenly the demon wrapped his arms tight around his middle and practically smashed him back into the other.

Eren’s hot breath ran over his skin as the fiend buried his face into the crook of Levi’s neck. Levi should have known that his less than saintly reputation would be something Eren approved of.

Eren held his human close, revelling in the warmth of him. Such a fragile little life, despite Levi’s surprising resilience even coming from such a miserable place. Humans were always a challenge for Eren, forcing him to be careful, considerate of his actions lest he cause damage. It helped him to keep control over himself. Grounded. Calm.

And now this one little human was a danger to his own life just by being so...different. Levi was wary, probably at least a little fearful of him, but the anger inside the raven hadn’t left. It merely simmered, waiting.

Eren squirmed, wondering just what that anger would result in? How would his little pet choose to release it and when?

The more he thought about it, about how feisty his new companion was, the more eager Eren became until it was too much. He had to do something, distract himself in some way.

He hummed, soft and thoughtful against Levi’s shoulder. The raven was stiff in his arms, never letting his guard down completely, utterly convinced that to do so would be the death of him. Ever so smart. But Eren wasn’t in the mood to dispose of his new plaything quite so permanently. He hadn’t even spent a night with his little one yet. In all honesty he was taking things at a rather agonising pace considering his past ventures with humans. It would be worth it to take his time, though. Eren was sure of that, made even more certain each time Levi tensed up anew in his hold.

How to calm the jumpy little lamb, then?

Eren stifled an overeager whimper against Levi’s shoulder as his mind raced over possibilities. Oh the fun he could have with this one. Well...Levi would be reluctant at first, that much was more than obvious. Eren wanted to at least try to be careful with his new toy.

A kiss couldn’t do any harm, surely?

The thought was all consuming and Eren couldn’t push the idea from his mind. That decided it, then. Without so much as a word of warning, Eren had his and Levi’s positions switched; the raven sat leaning against the headboard with surprised eyes blinking as Eren leaned over him. Close, too close for the message to be unclear. With a little smile that promised mischief, Eren closed the miniscule space between them and met Levi’s mouth with his own.

Eren tried for sweet, hoping to tease Levi into surrender. But he couldn’t help himself and his eager tongue darted out to flick across Levi’s mouth, delighted at the taste of him but somewhat disheartened by the raven’s lack of enthusiasm. Levi was utterly stiff.

Eren whined against his mouth, pulling away to speak. 

"I know that this is not ideal for you, lamb, but please try and be sympathetic. I only want to enjoy you."

Actually taking in Levi’s appearance, Eren realised the raven had remained unmoving. He just sat there looking a little dazed. Levi seemed stunned, though by what Eren did not know.

Confused, Eren blinked at him. "Little one?” He tried, a thread of anxiety unfurling in his gut, he surely couldn’t have broken him already. “Levi?"

The brunet brought up a hand, waving carefully in front of Levi’s face and checking for any sort of reaction. It arrived slow. Levi came out of his stupor a little and ran his tongue over his lips, his brow pinched like he was off balance. Like there was something about the situation that he didn’t understand.

Either that or it was new to him.

Suddenly Eren thought he might understand what had happened.

"Was that your first kiss, pet?” He asked, the words tumbling out of his mouth. “You mustn't lie to me, have you never been kissed before today?"

The thought made Eren utterly weak.

It seemed so unlikely. Surely such a vicious and capable creature as Levi would have had many mates, having proven himself to be strong and capable - a worthy partner. Even for an Omega, among humans it hardly mattered. He wouldn’t have presented at all had he not come into contact with full fiends. Killing several demons and exposing himself to their blood would only have accelerated the process. No wonder they’d been able to tell which dynamic Levi held in his genes at the market.

Levi had yet to answer. He frowned in the general vicinity of the mattress, but the flush across his face spoke for him.

His first kiss stolen away by a demon. Of all the strange and delightful things to have happened today to Eren, this was by far the best development yet.

He practically swooned. "I've never had anyone's first kiss before,” he said, bringing clawed fingers to his lips in reverence, “no wonder you taste so good. No previous claim, nothing to taint you. All mine, little one. But wait...if you've never been kissed..." Eren trailed off as another idea entered his mind, "Levi...you're not a virgin, are you?"

Levi scowled openly at him, flushing a spectacular shade of scarlet. 

It was official: the day could not get any better than this.

Eren's jaw went slack and this time he did swoon, flopping sideways onto the mattress and laying there in a purring puddle of limbs. Thank sin itself that he had been patient and not rushed into pleasures of the flesh. How he would have regretted learning this little fact had it been too late. Eren smiled, foolishly limp and vulnerable in front of his as of yet not trustworthy pet, but he couldn’t help it. He would be Levi’s first if all went well, and an Omega's first at that. It was the most perfect gift that the universe could have presented him with; Eren could be Levi’s everything if he'd let him. There was so much to teach. So much that Levi would learn first hand from his master.

Off to the side, the raven cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Huh...I thought you'd be pissed off." Levi muttered, still surly but at least speaking now.

Eren wasn't nearly as capable of talking just then, too overwhelmed at the knowledge he'd just received. It made him downright croon, giddy and fiercely possessive. The sound was obviously unfamiliar to Levi as the raven was giving him a weird look, but Levi didn't look like he hated the noise.

In truth it looked like he liked the sound a lot more than he thought he should.

Eren only crooned louder.

Never, never had Levi ever heard anything close to the weird ass sound that was coming out of the demon’s throat. But for some reason the alien sound was... Comforting? Which in all rights it shouldn’t be, particularly concerning who it was coming from and the reason it was doing so. Eren was more than pleased by the fact that he was a virgin, that much was obvious. 

Levi knew how sex worked between people of the same gender and of opposing ones. When the liquor supplies were refilled, the following two weeks were filled with the Underground getting it on with each other. Maybe the military wasted alcohol on them just so they could ensure that the population remained stable for the next harvest.

The reason had never mattered to Levi, when people were distracted it was just that much easier for him to steal from them. Not wanting to put himself into a compromising position was one of the main reasons he never engaged in such basic, but unnecessary pleasures.

Eren had called him untainted, but Levi hardly considered himself as such. Simply because Levi was drenched in all other aspects of sin except for sexual, did it really make that much of a difference? Though, he had seen already just how possessive the beast could be over him, a single bruise could send Eren off of the handle. 

Still wouldn’t it be better if Levi knew what the fuck he was doing in Eren’s eyes?

Apparently not, as those teal orbs were alight with anticipation and desire as they focused on him despite the demon squirming his body all around the covers like some feline hopped up on catnip.

But those eyes, those fucking eyes looked hungrily up and down Levi’s frame and made him shiver. 

Right, Eren was a predator, a fucking pervert and a demeaning asshole, but Eren probably wanted to eat his flesh as much as he wanted to fuck him. It might seem insane to a normal person, but honestly, Levi didn’t care about having sex. It would hurt more than likely, but in the end it was something that wouldn’t last forever, at least that was what he reassured himself. 

What he minded was not having a say in it and that being the only aspect of his worth in this messed up world. As soon as he became boring… Eren might find another use for his body that was far more permanent.

With what seemed to be extreme effort, Eren seemed to finally collect himself, crawling back over to the human to crowd him further into the pillows and headboard. Levi’s skull thunked solidly against the wood as he jerked his head back further when Eren’s brought his own closer. 

“No, lamb, I’m not at all mad. After all, this means I get to train you to be the perfect little pet for me.” Eren wet his lips as his gaze flicked back down to those pale lips, “We could start our first lesson now. You need to learn how to properly kiss.”

“Doesn’t seem like something that fucking hard to do. You just press lips together, right? Don’t see how that’s supposed to be a turn on. Your mouth is probably nasty from raw meat or drinking blood…” Or something equally fuck up, Levi’s mind supplied. 

“My, you have never been nicked by cupid’s arrow have you? If you had you never would think such things.” Eren’s tone was pitying as he cooed at his raven haired beauty. Hands forcing Levi’s knees apart when the human tried to draw them to his chest to keep a physical barrier between them.

No, that wouldn’t do, Eren was determined to smoother the other in his scent and body heat. When the other got his first heat…. Eren’s mouth watered at the thought, it would be soon, it had to be. If not, Eren might very well lose his mind during the wait to make such a claim on a fresh, truly pure omega. Levi’s hips were forced to rest over Eren’s thighs as the demon sat between them. 

“The Underground isn’t a place for a misshapen winged, fatass baby to be flappin’ around, spreading love. People either get fucked to survive, or fuck because it’s the only way they feel alive.” Levi suspected he was the product of such a vicious cycle. How his mother kept smiling even till the end, he didn’t know.  

“So sad, though I suppose love doesn’t exist in these lands either.” Eren mused, tapping a finger against the other’s lips. 

Eren and Levi would never ‘love’ each other the way that humans dreamed to or how demons did. There were too many barriers that neither planned to lower. Though Eren would be delighted if he could make Levi fall for him and he planned to make him, one way or another. 

Leaning forward, he was determined to keep pilfering all of Levi’s second, third, and every following kiss that would ever come his delectable little one’s way. 

Pressing his lips back against Levi’s, Eren’s tongue lapped at the seam of his lips for entrance, huffing when it was not given.

If Levi wasn’t going to behave, then Eren wasn’t going to either. A hand threaded into inky hair before jerking suddenly on the strands. When Levi opened his mouth to hiss, Eren snuck his tongue inside the warm moist cavern, moaning at the taste of it as he kept his hand in Levi’s hair, a threat in case he tried to bite. 

Pleased with the entrance, Eren slid his tongue against the human’s trying to tease him into play. Slow strokes, tasting and exploring for some sort of response.  _ Play with me. _ But he got no reaction other than a push against his chest. But Eren didn’t pull back, waiting for Levi to realize he could breathe through his nose during the kiss and for him to respond back. 

The rush of warm air over his face showed Levi’s first breath and after a few seconds more, Levi gave into the incessant tongue, his own moving cautiously, but sloppily. The pleased rumble from Eren showed that he wasn’t a complete failure at kissing. 

The kisses continued, increasing in intensity as Eren let his hands wander over Levi’s chest and middle, rubbing and caressing teasingly. Causing nerves and pleasure to spike Levi’s scent further into the air. But as the demon’s fingers lifted towards those dusty pink nubs on his pet’s chest, a soft knock echoed into the room. 

Eren rocked back, half twisting to glare at the door, and a loud unruly sound left his throat.

“Of all the horrible timing.” He muttered, but called for the person to enter anyway.

Levi glowered at him, scrambling for the discarded shawl to preserve some sliver of modesty as the door swung steadily open. Eren’s eyes were elsewhere, glowering in the direction of the doorway.

Erwin loitered in the entrance only for long enough for Eren to acknowledge that it was him. A trusted member of the staff. Erwin had no interest in Levi other than to ensure he was cared for as per Eren’s orders, and therefore there was no need for modesty in Eren’s mind. The brunet turned back to Levi, smirking when he noticed the raven’s discomfort. The way he’d covered up, scowling at Eren but flushed all the same.

“Shy?” Eren asked, grinning when Levi’s scowl only got meaner. “Erwin doesn’t mind.” He assured the raven, twisting to glance at the blonde again. “Wasn’t that what you said last time you walked in on some skin on skin action, Erwin?”

“Erwin doesn’t care.” Erwin corrected with a nod as he swept into the room, focused on the task at hand. “Though I suppose that could be translated to not minding.”

“Same difference.” Eren shrugged.

“If you say so, Sir.”

Erwin set down an ornate, silver tray on the little wooden nightstand by the bed. And that was that. With another, respectful nod to Eren, Erwin took his leave.

Eren watched the blonde until he disappeared out the door, closing it behind himself. Then the brunet’s attention was turned to the tray. He scooted over the mattress to inspect the morsels that had been prepared with a smile that held almost no emotion – he was still put out at being interrupted.

“Dinner time, lucky you.” Eren murmured.

When he sat back up, strawberry in hand, Eren looked a lot more like himself. A playful thing. He crowded Levi, as usual not one to pay attention to personal boundaries, and was all but sitting in Levi’s lap by the time he stilled.

“Open up, little one.” Eren cooed, pressing the red berry in his fingers against Levi’s mouth.

Blue grey eyes narrowed.

Really? Eren seemed insistent on feeding his new pet, further reinforcing Levi’s dependency on him.  _ I can bring you food, and I can take it away _ . But Levi was in no position to argue. Or complain, really. He was starving. Levi was usually hungry more often than he wasn’t, but he really was eager to eat anything at all right about then.

Eren’s face lit up when Levi opened his mouth and allowed Eren to press the berry past his lips, no protests or snarking comments. Levi felt his glare would become a permanent expression, though. Almost everything Eren did made Levi want to scowl. One by one, Eren picked out new morsels from the tray – pieces of meat (Levi didn’t dare ask what kind), various fruits that Levi would never have even dreamed of trying, little ripped pieces of bread. Real, properly made bread. Not the gritty kind Levi was used to. It was all practical stuff, healthy; everything Eren’s fingers introduced to his mouth was meant to fill him up, make him well.

It would have almost been thoughtful if not for the fact that Eren would naturally try and keep any human prisoner healthy. Especially a pleasure slave. Eren didn’t want to get down and dirty with some bony-assed runt.

“Good,” Eren practically whispered, almost shaking with eagerness as he watched how Levi’s tongue would poke out from time to time as he ate, “very good, lamb. That’s it. If you can be this good for me all the time, I’m sure you’ll enjoy your time here very much.”

Levi huffed a laugh through his nose, obviously disbelieving the promise, but other than that he gave no response.

“While we’re on the topic, I suppose I should explain a little of what you’ll be doing here? Oh no keep eating, precious thing. Have your fill. Just make sure you’re listening, too.”

The roll of his eyes was not appreciated, Levi knew because Eren tugged at his chain in reprimand.

“Don’t be cheeky.” Eren said. “Now, you are mine, little one. Mine alone. Your purpose here is to satisfy me in whatever manner I see fit. I’m content to let you learn your place, I’ll be gentle with you unless you misbehave. But make no mistake, I fully intend to have you. In every way. You will spend each night here in my chambers, with me. Throughout the day, when I feel like I am able to trust you, then you are free to wander the manor unless otherwise instructed. Do not leave the house. It’s not safe outside and I couldn’t bear it if you were stolen away by some jealous suitor. If I give you an instruction, I expect you to follow it. The choice is up to you. I’m more than happy to punish bad behaviour, so don’t think you will be able to step out of line and get away with it. If you’re good to me, for me, then I will show you great pleasure and affection. Does that sound good, Levi?”

Levi had long since stopped eating, he only swallowed with a glum acceptance. This new existence of rules and punishment was to be his life now and that was a depressing thing to think about. Confined to this house. Never able to soar through the air on his gear again.

Already Levi missed the towering ceilings of the Underground. This place, no matter how luxurious, was a prison and a cage to him nonetheless.

“Oh precious thing, don’t look so down.” Eren implored, big hands coming up to cup Levi’s face much to the raven’s disdain. Eren’s mouth curved up a little. “I understand this will be difficult for you. Perhaps I can give you a little incentive to behave? Hm? Does my little lamb want a taste of reward? A hint at what being good could earn you?”

Levi just frowned at him. “Nothing you can do could convince me to be happy here.”

“You sound so sure of yourself.” Eren said, grinning and sounding thoroughly unconvinced. “But I have a lot to offer, even despite what you might think.”

Without another word, Eren leaned forward to surprise the raven with a kiss. Levi still tasted of the last bit of fruit he’d eaten, sweet, and he didn’t seem all that eager to put effort of his own into the kiss but Eren didn’t let that deter him. He toyed with Levi’s tongue, teasing it with his own until Levi was forced to either avoid him or join in. And just as Levi started to cautiously return the kiss, Eren slipped away. His mouth trailed over Levi’s jaw, unashamedly leaving a trail of wet kisses down the raven’s neck to his chest.

Here, Eren paused. He remembered his mission from before, licking a playful trail around the edges of a pink nipple. The teasing contact had Levi squirming. It could have been a good or bad reaction, but Levi’s nipples peaked in interest so Eren took it as a positive response.

All claws sheathed themselves away as Eren reached to tweak at one of the hardened nubs, latching onto the other with his mouth. Beneath him, Levi jerked.

Eren could sense the confusion in him, the uneasiness, but his newly Omegan scent gave away the truth. It was pleasure that had Levi writhing, confusing but definitely good. Levi seemed caught between wanting to twist away and staying put, probably wary of Eren’s talk of bad behaviour and punishments. True, Eren would not hesitate to discipline Levi if he did something foolish or purposefully disrespectful. But in this moment Eren wished only to teach. Levi had missed out on a great many pleasures in his life and that was a terrible tragedy, one that Eren was determined to set right.

So far, so good. As Eren worked his way lower, mouthing past Levi’s navel, he sent a mischievous glance up the raven’s body at him. Levi seemed determined to at least try to scowl his way through this entire experience, though the way his brows were pulled together was very telling. Eren stretched out an arm towards Levi’s face, brushed his fingers against the growing flush on pale cheeks. He half expected to get bitten but Levi just jerked his head away, frowning off to one side resolutely.

Well he didn’t need to watch to enjoy this. Not that it wouldn’t be more fun that way, but Eren didn’t mind. Levi could be shy for now.

Eren scooted down, settling between Levi’s legs and closing a hand around his prize. Levi stiffened, swallowing audibly. He still refused to look Eren’s way, so Eren let himself focus on appreciating the view.

Levi was a creature of milky skin, though Eren was sure he could bring a little colour to the pale thighs that tried to close around his head when Eren just stared. He coaxed them back open with a chuckle, feeling the skin heating up under his touch. Probably more embarrassment than anything else. Not that he had anything to be embarrassed about; Levi seemed fairly regular for the average human male. Eren couldn’t help but purr, nuzzling at one of Levi’s thighs as he squeezed his hand around the raven’s cock. Levi’s leg twitched, bumping against Eren’s side.

“Just let yourself feel, little one.” Eren cooed, mouthing at the flushed skin of Levi’s inner thigh. “This is as far as we’ll go tonight, let me spoil you just a little.”

Levi remained tense, grimacing off to one side. He was reluctant to let himself go, no doubt wary of letting his guard down against a creature he didn’t trust.

Eren licked his way up Levi’s thigh, nibbling a vague pattern up one v-line with an appreciative hum while his hand worked the raven’s cock to hardness. The member filled out, throbbing slowly under Eren’s coaxing fingers. It didn’t grow much, but that suited Levi in Eren’s opinion. And Omega’s weren’t known for being particularly well hung.

There was a sensation Eren recognised, Levi was finally watching him. But the brunet pretended not to notice and continued his lazy, wet kisses along Levi’s abdomen. It wouldn’t do to spook the raven now of all times.

Let him watch.

Eren teased him with purposefully slow strokes. All the way down, then up and over the head. And repeat. Over and over until Levi couldn’t help but squirm in frustration.

He wanted more.

The fact that he wanted anything was a miracle in itself.

When Levi finally let go of a moody, huffing breath, Eren shifted his attention.

The brunet licked a long, fat stripe up Levi’s cock, slow so that the raven could appreciate the feeling. Or maybe Eren just enjoyed punishing Levi with his pleasure?

That option seemed more likely.

A harsh inhale reached Eren’s ears and when his eyes snapped up to Levi the raven looked thoroughly betrayed. Unable to suppress his own responses. Levi might have been strong, but he was weak against pleasure. Without having any kind of real experience at the hands of another, there was no defence now.

Eren hummed, low and amused, and he kissed a wet trail back down the throbbing length. Long fingers resumed their grip, gathering moisture beading at Levi’s tip to spread it over the straining flesh. The slow strokes started up again, wet this time, and the difference had Levi’s hips jerking a fraction before he could stop himself. Levi growled at Eren’s laughter.

“Having fun?” Eren asked, a little muffled as he sucked a little mark up on one of the raven’s thighs.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you not to talk with your mouth full?” Levi sassed back at him.

In response, Eren took one of Levi’s balls into his mouth and mumbled a garbled “nope” around the flesh. Levi’s head smacked back into the headboard at the sensation.

Satisfied with the reaction, Eren worked lower still. Past Levi’s sac, mouthing over the tight skin behind it, he found the puckered opening that would be his sole prize come Levi’s heat. Not to be spoiled just yet, but Eren could still tease.

He pulled one of Levi’s legs over his shoulder, introducing his tongue to the tender little mouth. Levi jerked, a half-alarmed noise lodging in his throat. Eren ignored the hand that pushed at his head, determined to demonstrate to Levi that his tongue was useful for more than just ordering people around. If Levi hadn’t been ready for the usual kind of making out, then this left him floored. Eren shamelessly mouthed against the tight little pucker, content to remain there for the rest of the night if only to convince the raven to relax. Enjoy himself. He pressed with his tongue, circling the opening. What Eren would have given to be able to take Levi right then and there, but he wanted to be able to make the most of Levi’s Omega status. He would be much more accepting once his natural instincts kicked in and all this struggling would melt away, leaving behind something pliant, needy, and delicious.

For the moment, Eren would have to be content with distracting Levi.

And Levi seemed thoroughly distracted. His hips squirmed, trying to fight the torturous rhythm Eren had set. Too slow. The raven’s hand had stopped trying to push Eren’s head away and settled for grabbing a fistful of brown hair instead. Levi tugged viciously from time to time and Eren outright growled, but mostly in approval. It barely stung, and every time Levi gave him the excuse to growl the vibrations just about had Levi writhing.

Unlike Levi’s mouth, his ass seemed downright eager to be kissed. The skin was already softening under Eren’s overzealous attention and he was tempted, oh so tempted, to start opening the raven up.

But no. Not tonight.

Eren pulled away and Levi sagged, with relief or disappointment, who knew? He was too fickle of a creature for Eren to tell.

To finish up, Eren gripped the base of Levi’s cock to steady him and leaned up, listening keenly for Levi’s surprised moan as he took him into his mouth. All the way down, the heat of his throat was almost too much for Levi to bear. Right back up again, and a sinful rhythm was established. He didn’t try to make it last, instead working to overwhelm Levi as quickly as possible. Levi had no endurance in this regard. He was writhing in no time at all, utterly at the mercy of Eren’s throat and tongue. Just to add to the overload, Eren brought saliva-covered fingers down to rub firm circles around Levi’s entrance, thumbing his perineum for good measure. Eren worked Levi with his mouth and hand until the raven let out a defeated hiss and came down his master’s throat.

Eren preferred it that way over the clean up they might have otherwise had to do. He licked Levi clean thoroughly enough that Levi was sluggishly trying to shove him away, too sensitive in the aftermath of his orgasm to handle anything more.

Sitting back with a grin, Eren observed the damage.

Levi was flushed to his chest, his breathing was ragged, skin decorated with little flowering marks from the demon’s attention, and still he found the energy to glower down at Eren.

“Aw, don’t be like that, lamb. Wasn’t that fun?”

The raven grumbled something that Eren didn’t catch, turning abruptly into the pillows.

“Are you very tired, little one? Poor thing, get some sleep.” Eren smiled, crawling up the mattress to flop down behind Levi. He rolled onto his side, curling arms around Levi’s middle with a hum. “I can wait for my own satisfaction.”

With a last kiss to the back of Levi’s neck, Eren closed his eyes and settled in to rest.

Eren better fucking wait because Levi sure as hell was too twitchy and tingly to do much of anything other than lay on his side. Sure, Levi had jacked himself off in the past, who hadn’t been curious and there were basic needs that couldn’t be ignored when he was safely inside of the little hideaway that his gang had established. 

Having things done to him by someone else, holy fuck that was so different. When Levi played with himself he knew what to expect with each stroke of his hand. However, while Levi could anticipate what Eren was going to do next, could see the way the thumb moved to hint that it was about to circle the head of his dick. The sensation he received was always more powerful than Levi imagined. 

It was more intense, fueled further with anxiety and fear, Levi had seen the way that the other could summon and dismiss those deadly claws. Then there were those teeth that called Eren’s mouth home, Levi had tensed in terror when he saw them coming toward his more sensitive parts. He had no doubt that the demon’s chompers could cut through his delicate flesh like a hot knife through butter. The mental image had almost been enough to kill his erection if not for the feeling of Eren’s throat hugging tightly around it, vibrating with purrs that made it feel like his nerves were having sparks traveling through them. 

As he laid in Eren’s arms staring towards one of the large windows that portrayed a beautiful night sky, Levi wondered about what his life had become. While he might seem complacent, resting his back against the warm chest as his body basked in the afterglow of the best and only blow job he had ever received.

Still Levi wasn’t one to let simple pleasure disillusion him into thinking that the life of a pet was ideal. His life in the Underground was hard, difficult, and uncertain, but it was what Levi knew and it was where Isabel and Farlan were. 

Even without his friends to return to, Levi would not be able to accept this new lot. 

He was too proud, and far too bitter to let go of his past grudges against these horrible beasts. 

Eren might own his body, but owning Levi and being accepted by him were two differing concepts. Demons had gouged out deep wounds into the thug’s mind, scarred into him as like they had been dug in his flesh with what he had stolen from him when he was younger. 

If Levi let himself become nothing more than a plaything, how could the dead ever rest peacefully in their graves?

While he might be able to see the sky now and take in the glittering stars that winked back at Levi like they held tempting little secrets, he was simply in a new cage. He was not allowed to leave these walls, perhaps not even this room since Levi wasn’t exactly making an effort to win Eren’s trust with his actions. 

Still Levi was determined to not exit this place as a corpse. If he managed to take the master out, the servants would then aid him, right? Surely, they would chose freedom over servitude. The half demon, Marco, was probably willing to escape after whatever Eren had done to him. 

At least, that was what Levi hoped would be the case because he didn’t even know if the shackles around his wrist needed a key or if they could only be opened with demonic magic. 

The plan Levi hatched in his head was a crapshoot and relied so heavily on factors that were shrouded in mystery. What if Eren woke up? What if he was suspicious that Levi might try something despite it being his first night here and obviously exhausted from all he had endured since his capture? What if Levi wasn’t strong enough to pull if off?

Levi held back a snort at the last thought, for all his bark and posturing, Eren had yet to raise a hand to him despite him having definitely earned it with his attitude. He had been able to pin Levi and move him with ease, but that didn’t mean that the fucker was invincible. 

Right? 

Though his thoughts were turbulent, Levi’s body remained lax in the hold the demon had around his waist. Constantly counting his breaths and conscious of his heartbeat to make sure he wasn’t giving away that he was awake or plotting the demise of the man holding him. 

He had one shot at this, if he failed, he knew most likely that his life would be forfeit. 

After all, who would be insane enough to keep around a pet that tried to take their life? Brain cracked demon or not. 

While Levi might not appear to have any weapons available to him, he was resourceful and his bounds would hopefully serve to be his salvation. The chains attached to his shackles were around a meter and a half long, Levi had experience with working with less so this shouldn’t be a problem. 

Still Levi waited, wanting to be sure that Eren truly was asleep before making his move. It had to have been three hours by the time that Levi decided to act. First squirming in the demon’s arms until they were instead chest to chest, then he waited, looking for any signs of Eren’s slumber being disturbed by the rattling of Levi’s chains or the shifting on the bed. When Eren didn’t rouse, Levi realized with a sick feeling that Eren was probably used to the sounds with how many pets had come before Levi. 

Still rather than shake his resolve, it steeled it. Then he struck, hands lifting and twisting above the demon’s head so that the chains wrapped twice around the brunet’s throat as he rolled onto Eren’s middle to get in a better position to pull. 

And pull Levi did, hands gripping his chains tight as he leaned back to put his full body weight into the straggling hold. If the demon didn’t suffocate, then Levi could hope that the force of the pinching chains would sever nerves, crush some internal structures in the fleshy front of Eren’s throat, or break some bones in the other’s neck. There were dozens of things that could cause Eren’s demise by attacking him in such a way and honestly, Levi was just hoping one of them would work. 

Eren’s hands lifted pulling at the chains and kicking which threatened to work Levi off his perch on top of his thighs. But Levi gritted his teeth as he pulled harder, listening to ragged coughs and sputters coming from the brunet slowly dying out, along with his struggles. 

Dead? Or a trick? Levi had to be sure; he'd never get another chance like this.

Even after the demon had stopped moving, Levi kept his tight hold for several minutes, muscles tight as he waited for the corpse to reanimate. When it didn’t, a small sigh escape him, he’d done it. Now he just had to either get the chains off the hook himself or wait till one of the staff came. 

As he leaned forward to try and disentangle his chains from around his former master’s neck, Levi glanced down. He froze, feeling like his heart had fallen out of his chest, rolled across the bed, and then splattered onto the floor. 

A glowing pair of now golden eyes were locked on him as a white, sharp-toothed smirk grinned up at him. 

“Gotcha.”

Then Levi’s world flipped around, he struggled, kicking, and punching as best he could. It was no use. Eren freed himself from the chain, though it did cause the hook to be pulled out of the headboard with a small shower of splinters over the mattress and tumbling bodies. All too soon Levi found himself flat on his back, Eren sitting firmly on his middle and his wrists held over his head. 

The demon’s grin was manic above him, seeming to be a weird mix of elated, pissed off, fascinated, and confused. Eren’s voice was low as he lowered his head closer to his prey’s. 

“Perhaps I really have been too lenient with you, pet.”

“Suck off a rusty, shit encrusted pitchfork.” 

“My, you really do have a colorful imagination don’t you, lamb? What if I ordered you to do it instead?”

“Then I’d drive the fucking thing through your asshole and out your throat.”

Eren’s eyes widened, surprised by the certainty with which Levi uttered those words, his pet really intended to kill him. Yes, he should have gathered as much from the choking attempt, but never before had he had a human attack him with such conviction. Sure, he’d had disobedient slaves in the past, ones that would push, kick, or punch at him, but those moves were more to defend against the demon rather than actually do irreversible damage. 

“You can’t kill me, Levi. You simply are not powerful enough to do so.” 

“Well,” Levi licked his dry lips, chest still heaving from their wrestling, “We won’t know if I don’t keep trying will we?”

“And what would you have done if you had managed to kill me, hmm? You’re still chained to the bed and in my home with my servants. Did you think that they would help you?”

Levi’s silence was answer enough and it made Eren chuckle as he leaned down to swipe his tongue over the scowling raven’s lips. 

“Little fool, those humans are loyal to me even in my absence, I have been a fair lord to them and have granted them forgiveness instead of death dozens of times over. Even with their aid, you all would never have made it back to the human lands. We are hundreds of miles away from what you once called home, lamb. The space between here and there is also covered in demons far more cruel than myself and dimmer; they would only see you as food rather than anything to cherish.” Eren explained, picking apart all of the bridges of hope that Levi had no doubt constructed.

Instead Levi was once again going to find himself trapped on an island of isolation with only Eren as company. 

“Are you going to kill me?” Levi finally asked, tense, but knowing that he would not be able to escape his fate in his current position.

Eren paused, as if to think it over.

“I could,” he said almost casually, “your actions certainly warrant it, but no, you’re far too pretty and strange to just kill you now. I haven’t even been able to fully enjoy you yet. Though I do think punishment is in order, it’ll have to wait for the morning. Since you proved that you can’t be a good boy and sleep in the bed…” Eren trailed off, snapping his fingers before continuing, “I suppose you’ll just have to sleep in a kennel like any other disobedient pet.” 

Then Eren shoved the little human off the right side of the bed, Levi tumbling as he got tangled in his chains and was unable to stop himself from rolling. He braced himself as he teetered over the edge, but instead of meeting the hard floor, he was met with soft cushions. Moonlight streamed into the room, letting Levi pick out his new surroundings.

A cage.

The prison was made of polished silver and rectangle in shape, filled with a mountain of silky cushions and blankets, all of which bore the same warped face and crest of them. It was too dark to tell the colors they were though. The cage was only ten centimeters longer than Levi was tall and just tall enough for Levi to sit up, but nothing more. The cage opened from the top which was how Levi had fallen in and top of the cage banged closed as soon as he was inside and sealed shut. Still dazed, Levi could only weakly glare through the bars as he watched his master’s head peek over the side of the bed.

“Sweet dreams, little viper.”

As soon as the words finished leaving Eren’s mouth, Levi felt his eyelids grow incredibly heavy, sleep setting deep hooks into him and dragging him into the encompassing darkness of sleep. 

Fucking demon magic. What awaited him with the coming rays of morning light wouldn’t be pleasant.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we are new chapter and it's definitely a good one, don't you think? It was certainly fun to write and see how the two deal with the other's strong personality and will. I hope you enjoyed this and look forward to seeing more of Levi's trials in demon lands and in Eren's hands.
> 
> Please leave a comment, it motivates us and brightens our day to see how our hard work has entertained our readers. Tell us what you think about our boys and what might lay in their futures!


	5. Brimstone Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (warning this chapter contains blood, torture, and tattooing, welp you all enjoy folks!)

Cheery warmth rolled over Levi’s body. It tried to coax him into the waking world as his eyes looked into the dark red color that existed behind his eyelids instead of blissful darkness. Levi was not a morning person, even when he didn’t know if it was technically morning or not in the Underground in the absence of the actual sun. Without the sky to read, it was hard to keep track of time. Nevertheless, waking up was never something Levi enjoyed seeing as sleep was a difficult thing to come by for Levi on a good day.

Groaning softly, he rolled over onto his side, pulling the blanket further over his head to try and block out the light. Levi grumbled, stretching slowly. No doubt the light was a torch brought by one of his companions trying to wake him.

“Farlan,” Levi mumbled sourly, “if the hideout is not on fire or the military police are not at the door, let me fucking sleep or I’ll disembowel you.”

Mercifully, there was quiet.

But only for a moment.

“Who is Farlan, lamb?” 

The unexpected voice forced Levi’s body into motion. He jerked backwards to try and put more space between himself and the source only to slam into something cold and unyielding. The unforgiving metal turned out to be bars, a prison, and a hiss of pain escaped Levi’s lips as his eyes flicked up to find the cause of his misery.

Oh. That was right.

Prison, yes, but in a cage far prettier than any he might have ended up tossed in back in the Underground. This gilded cage was built to taunt Levi. Imprisoned and yet still surrounded with luxury and treasures the likes of which he would have scarcely imagined before arriving here. Who would have known that a jail cell could also be a jewel? Gleaming and glorious. But no less of a prison.

Levi’s eyes snapped up to the bed where he had caught sight of a figure in his periphery.

His captor and tormentor sat waiting there on the mattress.

Eren leaned over the side of the bed to glance down at him, the demon’s head tilted with curiosity. There was a sharp toothed grin stretched across his face. Eerie and unwelcome. The smile was languid and predatory, and Eren let one hand slide between the bars to run through the startled human’s hair.

“I asked you a question, dear.” Eren said, his voice like honey but his eyes held warning. “Who is this Farlan you call for?” 

“No one you need to fucking concern yourself over.” Levi hissed back.

The raven didn’t bother to try and shy away from Eren’s touch. There was no point. Levi knew full well that he didn’t have anywhere to escape to. There was nowhere in these lands that Eren would not be able to find him and that was a thoroughly disheartening thought.

Eren was not satisfied with the answer, continuing his questioning as if Levi had not even spoken.

“Were they a lover, perhaps?” Eren mused aloud, his gaze turning sour at the thought. But then something calculating entered those teal eyes. “No, you’ve never been kissed before, that belongs to me. Did you want them for a lover, though?”

Eren’s eyes narrowed as he stared down at his little pet, sitting resolute and silent within his pretty prison. Those molten pools of teal seemed to threaten to drown Levi in their intensity. 

But Levi only stared back at the brunet, not rising to the bait. Instead of growing angry, Eren’s grin only continued to grow as he pushed himself into a seated position. Eren gave a long hum, disappointed at the lack of information.

“Still feisty so early in the morning hmm? That’s fine, I was already planning on punishing you for your little stunt last night anyway.” Eren murmured, tone turning teasing as he noticed Levi swallow. It was the only sign that the raven was even remotely nervous. “Adding things to the list now before we start is convenient.” 

Right, last night… Levi, Eren’s precious little Omega, had done something that no other human slave had ever attempted to do under Eren’s rule.

He had tried to kill his master.

Eren had heard tales from his friends about some troubles they had when taming new slaves from ‘the wild’ as it were. Humans taken from their wall-encircled ‘sanctuary’ rather than being born in demonic captivity often proved to be more difficult. Their training was more intense, but it had to be. Humans from society already had their own morals and codes and expectations written into their being. Something picked up from when they could first think and see and learn. After years of thinking on their own, it was often tricky for them to relearn how to live.

Eren had heard it all before. However, all those stories had been about humans that were Betas. Despite not yet presenting, Omega humans were of a softer and more pliant disposition than their Beta counterparts. There were no Alpha humans, only demons held such a caste. 

It usually took a week of constant contact with demonic auras and pheromones for a human’s base nature to be forced out and the newly revealed instincts to slightly alter their character. Those things that had been dormant within them would become active. With Levi, things had taken a different route. Having basically painted himself in the blood of fiends during his capture, it meant that Levi was rapidly approaching the time when he would fully present. Even now there were little things that showed Levi’s Omega state.

Eren had known from his scent alone. Even before Levi’s body had adjusted, his nature was obvious.

But his little lamb seemed to just shrug it off and remain as prickly to his master as a handful of firelizard teeth. As if he were not affected by Eren at all. And that...should have been impossible. Human Omegas were all but helpless to the allure of an Alpha demon. Especially one of great power, and Eren knew he was no unworthy suitor. And yet Levi continued to resist. Still full of fire. Avoiding contact like the plague instead of seeking out his master’s embrace as Eren had expected.

It was perplexing. It was frustrating.

But it was also what made Levi so infuriatingly interesting.

Eren aimed a deadly smile at the raven waiting in his cage, tilting his head at the human.

“Are you very anxious about your punishment, Levi dear?” He asked.

Levi only narrowed his eyes.

“Do your worst.” The raven muttered in defiance.

The words were a challenge; Levi wasn’t going to cower despite the way that his stomach seemed to squeeze in on itself under that frightening gaze. That was something beyond his control. Levi suspected that there was nothing a mortal could do if a demon truly wanted to inflict fear in them.

Physical pain was something that Levi was familiar with. He could deal with it. It looked like he’d have to, as Eren wasn’t exactly giving him a choice. But so far it seemed that Eren was determined to keep Levi alive, and so while Levi was cautious about what horrors Eren had in store...he was probably not as afraid as the demon expected.

This was as much a test to Levi as it was for Eren. Both wanting, no, needing to see how far the other would push.

“Oh, Levi,” Eren gave a languid smile, flopping onto his stomach on the mattress and running his fingers along the bars of Levi’s cage, “you would be dead in an instant if I showed you my worst.”

When Levi’s gaze met Eren’s, the demon’s smile stretched into a grin and his fingers curled tight around the bars. Levi inhaled sharply as images assaulted his mind and he found that he could not close his eyes, nor could he look away from Eren’s wide-eyed stare.

The assault was brief and came in flashes. A huge and horrifying beast thrashed in Levi’s mind’s eye, snapping gaping jaws lined in blunt teeth. He heard its roar as though it were right in the room with them and somehow, seeing its burning green gaze, Levi knew that this monstrous  _ thing  _ was Eren.

Very probably the real Eren.

The Eren in front of Levi blinked and just like that Levi’s mind was his own once more.

He blinked, staring wide-eyed at his captor.

Eren smiled at him pleasantly, a glaring contrast against the horror Levi had just seen, and the brunet rolled onto his back to gaze at Levi from upside down.

“Still want my worst, little viper?” He grinned, then stretched. “Not to worry. I plan to keep you for a long while yet.” Eren purred.

He then snapped his fingers, the sound loud in the quiet room, and the top of the cage lifted up all on its own.

Levi scowled as Eren leered at him, wondering if this was the most exposed he’d felt since being here. He watched as Eren slid off the bed in one fluid motion, gesturing for the raven to stand and step out of the cage. With reluctance, Levi did so. He kept a wary eye on Eren, watching how the demon stared openly at Levi’s naked form without ever seeming to blink. Creepy fucker. Eren seemed content to look over each millimeter of skin. What was worse was the contemplative look building on Eren’s face as his eyes roved over Levi’s form.

The bastard was scheming.

Whatever Eren was planning, Levi was certain that he was going to hate it.

Blinking finally, Eren tipped his head up a little to meet Levi’s gaze.

“Follow me.” The brunet said, navigating his way backwards through the room to ensure that Levi did as instructed.

Levi let himself be pointed towards a couch area that sat before the fireplace. Between the couches, there was a large table set quite low to the ground. Eren didn’t follow him all the way there, instead moving to a chest on the other side of the room. Pulling a small case from the chest, Eren called over his shoulder. 

“Get on the table and lay on your back. I just need to make a few preparations and we’ll begin.” 

When he turned back around, Eren was greeted to the sight of Levi still standing, arms crossed over his chest in a clear display of defiance. He might be getting punished, but that didn’t mean he was going to take it willingly. Farlan had called Levi the most passive aggressive person he had ever met when his hands were tied. Sometimes literally.

Eren sent Levi that all-too-confident half smile.

“Levi,” Eren’s tone was the complete opposite of the almost charming smile on his face, “do not test me. Unless you’re deliberately trying to make this worse for yourself, then by all means. Continue standing there and  _ see what happens _ .”

Eren’s voice had dropped, echoing a touch gentler to the tone that had been used the day before when Eren had demanded that Levi tell him who had created his new bruise. The influence that tone caused was startling. The tone had Levi’s knees knock together and muscles jump with the desire to fulfil the command despite the fact that Levi’s mind did not give the order. There was something alarming about that tone. How just a few words from Eren could all but overwrite Levi’s own will. Hell, Levi knew if he weren’t so stubborn he’d probably be on all fours and pleading by now.

Levi decided to not try Eren’s patience further. Not if he didn’t want to find out what Eren’s words could do to him if the demon got it in his head to really work that tone.

Levi laid on the table. Already he was dreading whatever torment was to come. Not knowing was the worst of it. He had no way to prepare. Levi tried to distract himself and focused on the table instead. The piece of the furniture was strong, supporting his weight without a single creak of protest. It was more than long and wide enough for Levi to lay as well, the cool, polished wood under his back acting almost as a balm against the heat of the demon’s gaze as Eren stalked closer. 

Whatever preparation he’d been doing, it sounded like Eren had finished.

Staring at the ceiling, Levi didn’t look towards the demon despite hearing Eren sit on the couch to the left of him. Levi listened as he heard the wooden case be dropped onto the table by his arm and Eren rifled through it.

A few things came from it. In his periphery, Levi saw Eren inspect them. There was a jar which sounded like it was full of liquid and some shiny metal tools that glinted in the corner of Levi’s eyes. He saw a flash of silver and then red, but Levi didn’t dare turn his head to investigate. 

He wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

“This could have been avoided if you had just been a good little pet,” Eren pretended to sigh with regret, grinning a moment later, “but I’m sure _I’ll_ at least enjoy it.”

Levi’s jaw clenched.

“That makes one of us.” He muttered.

“ _ Hush _ .” Eren chided again in that tone.

Levi felt fingers glide through his hair, Eren petting him idly. Next, the shackles on his wrists were tugged by their chain, positioned to lay above his head and out of the way of...whatever Eren planned to do. As soon as Eren’s hands left his wrists, the chain dropped as though it weighed twenty times as much as it had before. Levi discovered to his horror that he was rendered immobile, unable to pull his arms upwards against the shock of weight.

He already felt the strain in his shoulders, realising that he had no method of defense against Eren.

There was no escape route. 

Eren gave a pleased hum.

“Well isn’t that a lovely sight?” He smiled, running a hand down Levi’s chest to rest over his stomach. “Now, while this mixes I want to show you something. Just a little taste of what’s coming.”

Eren voice was overly sweet all of a sudden and it made Levi tense. The brunet began to speak, the words unintelligible to Levi’s ears though each syllable seemed to sink physically into him. They settled like a heavy blanket laying on top of the human, a physical presence that refused to be shifted.

Just what was Eren up to?

Fingers moved into Levi’s line of sight. There were no claws that he could see and that was a small relief.

Then Eren let his fingertips brush against Levi’s sternum, trailing down featherlight. The touch was barely present and yet Levi jolted, feeling a white hot stinging race through his chest along where Eren’s fingers had moved. Levi’s leg kicked out involuntarily at the feeling. It was like someone had taken a poker and branded a line right down his chest. And yet there was no stink of melting skin. No fresh wound.

Just the leftover ache and shock.

“Shit.” Levi breathed.

Eren cooed at him. “Did that surprise you, precious? Poor thing. I forgot to mention that this was going to sting a little.”

“A little.” Levi repeated back through gritted teeth.

“Sorry to say, but this is only going to get much worse.”

Eren’s tone was completely unapologetic however as he traced his finger over one set of ribs and then the other. Those fingers, seemingly gentle, followed the path of each both up and down, then traced the spaces in between. Levi clenched his jaw as pain followed each action, like someone was taking a hot knife and filleting the skin open. Was this what it felt like to be under some mad scientist’s scalpel? Sliced open and innard put on garish display?

But there was no blood spilling from Levi, no split flesh. No nothing.

“What. Did. You. Do?” Levi bit out the words, panting harshly through his nose as Eren rested his hand over his left collarbone.

It felt like someone was taking a hammer to the bone as a result. Despite knowing he was whole and well, Levi’s mind was telling him that he was being shattered piece by agonising piece.

“Just a little agony spell.” Eren said gently, leaning over Levi to watch his face for signs of discomfort. “A touch to bring agony. The more pressure applied, the worse it gets.” Eren’s smile melted away into something frustrated. “You need to  _ learn _ , Levi. My touch can either bring pleasure or pain.  _ You  _ are the one that decides on which you deserve.”

Levi forced his gaze to settle on the ceiling above, refusing to give Eren any kind of satisfaction.

“Going for the throat on night one?” Eren mused, idly running a touch along Levi’s fingers to watch them tense in shock. “How very assertive of you.”

Pressing into the knuckles had Levi breathing hard, but still he refused to shout or scream.

How odd.

Well then, Eren supposed he would just have to try a little harder.

Levi sucked in a breath as those hands wandered places, trailing biting pain in their wake. Down his arms, Eren’s touch left the bones feeling as brittle as chalk. The joints were a place that Eren exploited mercilessly, making sockets feel like they were under impossible strain. Eren pressed a little harder along Levi’s ribs and the pain grew white hot, like a flame was being lit beneath his skin. Inside his very bones, burning him alive from within.

Levi tasted blood from how hard he’d bitten his lip, trying to stifle any sounds or else Eren would only get more entertainment out of this.

If anything, Eren seemed perplexed. But no less stern.

“I went out of my way to be lenient with you, Levi,” Eren said, running a thumb over Levi’s bitten lip to find the blood there, though he refrained from tasting it, “and you threw it in my face. My patience has a limit and you are going to learn that disobedience will only be tolerated to a point. Your defiance is your own odd charm, little one. I like how feisty you are. But I’m afraid I can’t just let you strangle me in any permanent manner.”

As Eren spoke, he ran his hands over Levi’s skin.

Pressing fingers sought out tender places to dig in, spreading the growing agony. Eren ground the heels of his palms into Levi’s abdomen, delighting in the way it made him tense and writhe. The same treatment was given to the dips where legs met torso, and there it was enough to have Levi’s eyes welling up with stinging tears. Levi was too stunned at the volume of his pain to care about the silent paths the tears tracked down his head.

Lastly, a kiss. Eren was true to his words of being able to deliver both pleasure and pain; the lips that had previously attempted to woo Levi now slid over his mouth with the intent to make him miserable.

Eren left him tender everywhere he nipped, mouthing just as eagerly as before. This time Levi squirmed in a different manner, very decidedly trying to get away. He let out an aborted shout when Eren spared no cruelty and sucked Levi’s flaccid cock into his mouth to abuse the especially tender flesh with unnatural phantom pain.

The more Levi tried to buck him off, kicking and arching away, the more fun Eren seemed to have.

Absolute bastard.

And then Eren’s true intention was revealed.

He sat aside, fiddling with tools out of Levi’s sight, and returned to press something sharp into the raven’s chest. Just a little, stabbing prick of contact. But it came again. And again. A meticulous, purposeful action that Eren performed at an impossible speed…and with the agony spell in effect it made Levi clench his teeth together so hard he feared they might shatter.

An artful mark was worked onto Levi’s skin, written there in a mixture of ink and blood.

Eren’s blood.

Each dot stabbed into skin was delivered with a sure hand despite the wriggling of an unwilling canvas. The curves and lines were exact, not a single mark an accident. Eren couldn’t afford to make mistakes, as the resulting design would be permanently etched into the skin of his little prize.

As he worked, Eren told Levi about the pair of jaws he was creating over the raven’s heart. 

“This mark is the symbol of the Jaeger household.” Eren began. “According to the stories, my clan is descended from a supreme race of demons. The Titans of the first era. They were gigantic creatures that could swallow gods and pluck angels from their seats in the clouds. These beasts brought terror to all reaches of the lands, skies, and water. They were unstoppable. These creatures were characterized by their endless hunger and some were even known to have unique powers that made Satan himself both admire and fear them.”

Eren paused for a moment, carefully finishing the image of one vicious looking tooth before starting on the next.

“Jaeger, do you know the meaning behind that name?” The brunet asked casually.

A hiss through clenched teeth was the only response Eren got.

It made him click his tongue.

“Not up for conversation, love? You seemed to like to wag that tongue like a disobedient dog earlier.” Eren mused.

He smirked as Levi glared at him through his pain, chin jerking up stubbornly to show his distaste for his master even now. 

“It means ‘hunter’,” Eren continued whether Levi wanted to hear him or not, “and no matter where you go now, little one, I will be able to find you. Maybe one day I’ll let you go in the gardens, play a little game of hide and seek to prove this, but I don’t think you’ll be up for such strenuous exercise for a while after I’m done with you.”

These double jointed set of jaws were unique in appearance and were depicted in the portrait of what the original Titan of his clan was supposed to look like which sat inside of the main meeting hall of Eren’s home. Of course that behemoth was a great deal larger than what Eren could conjure now. Still, their resemblance was obvious. Eren wondered what his pet’s expression would be when he saw the monstrous creature, face stuck in a permanent snarl as it stared out from the canvas. 

Right, Eren would have to get a painter here to make a portrait of his newest toy. All past pets had their images immortalized in one hall of the manor. Well, except for one. The frame of it still remained on the wall, but the picture it held was hanging in ribbons, ruined by a hand of fury fueled by hell fire.

Eren forced the thoughts of past mistakes from his mind, instead deciding to explain how the ink he was using was mixed with his blood and would provide an unmistakable claim. Levi was Eren’s property. He would have this trace of Eren with him forever.

Like a brand. Worse than a brand, even.

Some punishment, Levi thought. He felt dazed. His mind reeled from the white hot pain licking through every inch of him by now, worst where Eren had jabbed him with his needles. Eren seemed to have finished, etching in the gaping jaws over Levi’s heart in some kind of unspoken threat and then writing his name in whatever hellish language demons spoke right across Levi’s abdomen.

Levi could feel the way that the warm blood leaked from broken skin that the needle abused just a little too harshly. A small puddle of the life giving liquid was no doubt pooling onto the table, but Eren seemed to spare no thought towards the poor piece of furniture. In a way… it was being re-stained after all. 

The brunet appeared more focused on making Levi hurt at this point. He was growling, just a little. Confused, probably, as to why his weak little human wasn’t making any sound.

The agony increased, bit by bit, until Levi stopped writhing altogether in favour of remaining in a single, tense posture.

“Everyone has a limit, little one.” Eren was saying, barely audible over the roaring of blood in Levi’s ears. “What will yours be?”

Fire. He had to be literally ablaze by this point. Levi squeezed his eyes shut as the sensation grew and grew, rising as if climbing towards a definite peak and that peak would probably be death.

Would Eren kill him?

There was a final surge and Levi’s eyes snapped open. He took in a single, rasping gasp before his body went completely limp. Collapsing against the table, Levi went under. Just darkness. Peace finally, in a place where even Eren’s magic-induced pain couldn’t touch him.

Beside the raven, Eren blinked wide eyes.

He’d found Levi’s limit…but it should have killed him. While the pain didn’t cause any physical damage, there was only so much that the mind could take before it convinced itself that it was actually dying. And Levi had passed that limit a while back. More than a human should have been able to endure. And with barely any more noise than his harsh breathing. Even in the middle of his punishment Levi found ways to defy Eren, though Eren had no plans on actually killing his pet.

How  _ extraordinary _ .

Still, Eren found that he was… dissatisfied.

Something bubbled inside of the demon that was brought about by how unfamiliar this situation was.

That this pretty creature was refusing him in a way that wasn’t exactly playful. Levi didn’t seem to have any interest in him, unlike all of Eren’s previous pets. Then again those pets had all been born in demon lands, raised to be pleasing and attentive to their masters.

If he wished to keep Levi and win over this little fireball, Eren may have to do something he had never done with a human, or heard any other demon doing with their pets.

He might have to change his tactics. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hope you all enjoyed this new chapter, Eren the 'darling' devil is feeling baffled by his precious pet, but will that interest be enough to keep Levi alive with his attitude? Neither seem willing to give in yet, what will the future hold for them? 
> 
> As always, if you enjoyed this chapter, please comment. We have the next five-ish chapters written out and it's only growing ever longer!


	6. Smoldering Thoughts

Eren listened to Levi’s heartbeat, the tempo steadily slowing from its previous racing pace. He was still alive, then. Passed out. Levi had succumbed to unconsciousness before he’d allowed Eren to have the satisfaction of hearing him scream.

The brunet bristled at the thought, but he worried also.

Eren had no intentions of killing this pet. Not for anything less than blatant betrayal. That had always been his way. But if Levi could survive this much…then conditioning him out of his disobedience would prove to be very difficult indeed. Eren would need to be careful. It was ever so easy to damage a human beyond repair. 

He couldn’t break his Omega. His very first one. Not now that Eren had even a basic blood claim over Levi in the ink embedded in his skin, and the possessive signature written in fat, bold lettering across Levi’s abdomen. Eren had all but slapped his name over the Omega’s womb. If that wasn’t enough to keep potential suitors away, then Eren would really have to step up his game.

Levi had provided Eren a small idea of what kind of life he had led before he came into his possession, but there still seemed something wrong with Levi’s behavior. His endurance was something else. Even lesser demons would have been screaming after receiving three fourths of what his little one had suffered. Frowning, Eren crossed his arms and stared at the pale ink and blood covered frame laying before him peacefully. 

That was how Erwin found him. He’d come to deliver breakfast to the pair, entering the room only after he heard a grunt from his master supplying permission for him to come in. The blond faltered only for a moment by the doorway when he spotted the unconscious raven on the table.

Another successful marking. Eren had been a little more extensive on this one. 

Still Erwin didn’t let it ruffle him, moving to set the trays he was holding onto the nightstand by the bed seeing as the the table was… occupied. With only a glance towards the new cage by the bed, Erwin turned to address his lord and the scene in general. Walking as close as he dared, he stopped a meter away from the couches.

Bowing his head, Erwin kept his hands folded behind his back as he spoke, “Good morning, Sir. Did you sleep well?”

Eren hummed at that, as though thoughtful.

“Interesting question, my dear Erwin.” Eren murmured. “I might have if this little vixen hadn’t tried to murder me in my sleep. He really does have the strangest ways of expressing himself, cheeky little thing.”

Erwin felt his eyes widen at the news. “Pa-Pardon?”

Eren slid his teal eyes towards his most trusted human servant, taking in the genuine surprise and even alarm written on the man’s face. Erwin didn’t get flustered easily, but the situation warranted it. The blond had been born in demon lands, grew up under the whip and claws of demons. He accepted his lot and those of others with barely a blink, and after a lifetime of demon rule being the norm...it must have been an alien concept to Erwin that a human would attempt such a foolish thing. 

“Crafty little devil tried to strangle me with his own chains when he thought I had fallen asleep.” Eren went on to explain, sighing as though it was only a mild frustration. “I suspected that he might try to escape, but that was certainly a surprise.”

Eren leaned back against the cushions with a pout. He thought of himself as a good master and nothing he had done yesterday had been ‘unnecessarily’ cruel to his pet. He had graced Levi with far more slack than he had given his previous toys. 

Not that the raven could know that, though.

Erwin composed himself quickly, swallowing as he asked his next question, knowing the answer could be anything. After all, Eren might not be finished with his punishments.

“Are you going to kill him, my lord?”

It would be a crushing blow to the household for their master to lose another pet so soon, knowing that Eren would likely throw himself into months of sulking and tantrums. A mourning Eren was not a reasonable Eren.

“Oh Beelzebub, no.” Eren answered with a chuckle, sending a sharp toothed smirk towards Erwin as he got to his feet.

The brunet uttered a series of sounds. Demon tongue, Erwin knew. He knew the sound of those words, though no human could decipher what they meant.

Eren decided to remove the agony spell for now, also letting Levi’s chains free of their own enchantments and bringing the raven’s arms back to his sides. While the punishment hadn’t brought about the exact result that he wanted, Eren felt that he had proved his point well enough to the raven. Time would tell if the lesson was a lasting one. His little one could rest for now.

“Killing him would be wasteful.” Eren murmured, running idle fingers through Levi’s hair. “I haven’t nearly finished my fun with this one. He’s a special case, but I’m sure I can tame him.” Ghosting past the blond, the demon made his way towards the bathroom. He turned at the door, pausing only briefly to address his servant. “Be a doll and clean him up for me, Erwin.” 

The blond raised his impressive eyebrows, surprised by the request. “Are you sure, Sir?” 

Eren paused by the door, cast a glance at the servant for questioning his order, something that he did not do often. Then, Eren realized why. For Erwin to complete the task, he would have to touch Levi. Normally that would fall under Eren’s duty, though servants had been requested to tend to pets before. However, after the incident with Marco only the day before and Eren’s past rules, Erwin was being rightfully cautious to look out for his own neck. Eren had a notoriously short temper and on bad days it was like walking on eggshells.

With a nod, Eren allowed it. “For now, you are the only one besides myself, who may touch him.”

“I understand, sir. Have you chosen what the staff shall call him?” Erwin asked, walking briskly to the table and starting to put the tattooing tools away, making a note to take the case with him so he could get them cleaned properly. 

“He will be Little Fang, in the old tongue.” Eren stated. “His snark has enough bite that it leaves even my skin tingling like I've been poisoned.” There was amusement as much as annoyance in his voice.

“Very well, Sir. I shall inform the others when I am finished here.”

“Good. Marco will have his ban removed later.” Eren finally clarified before stepping into the bathroom, turning on the tap to take a shower.

He let his thoughts wander, he knew that Erwin would never betray him and neither would Marco, at least not purposely.

The mistake from yesterday was unfortunate, but not something that they could have avoided. After all, Levi had broken the rules far sooner than they had expected. Which reminded Eren, he would have to deal with that little spitfire girl later as well. From Levi’s memories it seemed the girl and he had planned it together somehow. 

Humans really were a perplexing bunch.

One of the challenges demons had in keeping humans was the fact that the masters needed to keep a delicate balance of control and punishment. It was often a tricky balance to maintain. Being too cruel only made humans miserable enough that death was preferable over continuing to live in torment. Being too lenient only ever led to trouble. And betrayal. Despite what others of his ilk would say, Eren knew that humans were intelligent. Being a weaker species, they were also far more cunning than what most fiends gave them credit for. If a human lives in constant pain and suffering, they were not likely to keep caring whether they lived or died and as such more willing to disobey if it meant possibly being offed and escaping the endless cycle of torture. 

There needed to be a reward system in place and a safe zone provided for the humans to get a sense of peace and normalcy. Humans needed a reason to want to keep living. If they lost it, then they really were just lifeless sacks of meat.

Far from entertaining.

This was the reason why the servants had their own house on Eren’s property.

It was far smaller than the main house, only meant for rest or quiet leisure time. The servant’s house consisted of a series of rooms for the staff to sleep in, a joint washroom, as well as a humble kitchen and dining room.

They could be summoned in an instant, but for the most part their master let them do whatever they wished behind the closed doors of their tiny home.  As long as whatever they did would not interfere with their work, Eren let them do as they pleased. If they wanted to have relationships between each other that too was permitted, though they had to keep in mind the fact that any day the lovers might be separated… permanently. Or if a child was produced, it could be sold off. 

If Eren was truly displeased with someone’s performance, say if they committed a significant mistake or he had a very bad day, then the servant might find themselves dead. Perhaps landing on the dinner table or in the sacrificial ground in one corner of Eren’s land. 

There were times where, if another demon made a good enough offer, Eren might also trade away one of his humans. Armin had been asking for years if he could take Erwin off of his hands, but the servant had proved his loyalty and devotion time and again. 

Erwin would never betray Eren for the simple fact that he wanted to avoid falling into Armin’s claws. 

It was almost an amusing situation for Eren. Seeing Erwin squirm was one of the most entertaining things around, since the man was usually so collected. The biggest downside was that Eren had to constantly reassert his dominance over the little shit that was Armin to remind him that touching his property would not be tolerated. Having grown up close to the Arlert clan, Armin and Eren had been quite close friends since they were but spawn. As such, it was hard for Eren to stay mad at his intelligent friend.

But he didn’t mind thrashing the little blond if he forgot himself around Eren’s humans and got too handsy.

Erwin was one of the cleverest humans Eren and Armin had ever encountered. He knew an impossible amount of things despite having grown up away from records of human and demon events. Eren suspected that the demons who had first trained Erwin had spoiled him greatly with books and tomes, and Erwin had absorbed the knowledge gladly. He was elegant with his words. Ever so crafty in the way he spoke, able to put ideas into one’s mind and make them think that the thought was their own. Erwin’s calculating blue eyes never missed a detail. And, having been surrounded by demonic influence his whole life, Erwin’s senses were the sharpest of any full human that Eren had ever encountered. Even for a beta, the things Erwin could sense were incredible.

It was for those reasons that Armin was so obsessed with him. Armin wanted pick apart the human’s brain, perhaps literally, as much as he wanted to be fucked by Erwin. 

Armin was a rare case, being born a demonic omega. 

It didn’t happen often, but when it did there was usually chaos. If regular, human Omegas were considered insatiable, then Eren didn’t even know how to describe Armin.

He was a force of fucking nature. Literally.

The little blond went through suitors like there was no tomorrow, stringing them along until he was satisfied or bored with them. His was a different kind of power. Where Eren had strength, Armin had seduction. The incredible allure of his Omegan genes, and all the mischief of demonhood. All the power in the world wouldn’t do you any good once you fell for those falsely sweet blue eyes, tricked by that silver tongue. Eren was relieved that he knew Armin’s tricks well, having known him since he was but a whelp.

Still, if Armin ever tried his seduction games on Eren with any real intentions to win him over, Eren wondered just how screwed he would be.

Eren noted the sound of the door opening. The sink ran for a short moment before it was turned off and footsteps faded away once more. Erwin probably dampened a towel so he could clean up the blood from both Levi’s wounds and the table. 

Yes, Erwin was one of the best servants Eren had ever had. The only servant that had been under Eren’s thumb longer was Marco, but with his longer lifespan compared to a full human, the half-fiend did have the advantage there.

For the moment, Eren decided to stay in the comforting spray of the molten hot water for a while longer, his ears easily able to hear what was going on in the room beyond.

Erwin worked quickly, cleaning blood and excess ink away. He didn’t flinch at the sight of the gruesome tattoos, the gaping maw over Levi’s heart as much a warning to others as it would be to the raven. The most disturbing sight being the letters stamped onto Levi’s waist. The name was spread from one jutting hipbone to the other. Blatant claim. A sign of ownership that Eren had been all too eager to place on his Omega, given that he was waiting for the true claim.

A shiver tried to work its way down Erwin’s spine as his nose was flooded with the smell of Alpha lying so thick and fresh over the unconscious form. 

Honestly, it made him want to flee not only the room, but the entire manor. But Erwin had a job to do and he refused to be swayed by his instincts. As a Beta, Erwin was not quite so easily cowed by the influence of an Alpha. It was not a difficult thing to do to make the lesser dynamics shrink back in fear, though, if one knew what they were doing.

Cleaning away the blood with a sigh, Erwin then covered the marks with a medical salve. It would dry in a few minutes, sealing the wounds and setting the ink with it.

During that time Erwin fixed the bed and straightened the cage up as well. 

With that done, he carefully lifted the smaller form in his arms and walked back to the bed to lay Levi on top of it. Erwin frowned softly to himself as he observed the malnutritioned and now mutilated form.

Levi was strong, almost impossibly so for his small form. But he was also clearly malnourished. Not to the point where Erwin thought he might keel over any day, but enough to cause concern. The world of humans was clearly not a welcoming place. Erwin was almost grateful to have grown up in the demon lands, where at least he had known at all times what was expected of him. If he did as he was instructed, there would always be food and shelter provided. Erwin had figured out how to tip the scales in his favour like that a long time ago.

Pride was nothing in the face of survival.

Several distinct pale lines got Erwin’s attention that he had not noticed the day before. Scars. They had to be. He recognized that the pattern of them mirrored the ones that laid on Petra’s legs. Erwin suspected that the marks spanning Levi’s hips, thighs, back, and chest were engraved into the former soldier’s body also.

The infamous flying gear, Erwin suspected was the cause.

He’d heard about it, of course. Erwin was ever so good at getting others to spill information, chatting to him like their secrets were mere comments about the weather. The humans of the demon lands had heard legends about humans living behind the walls. How they had learned to fly. To soar high above the ground with the aid of odd tools that demons did not possess. Technology did not interest most demons. Most full fiends had their own wings, after all. Probably the fiends thought that man made tools were inferior to anything biological. But Erwin’s curiosity had been piqued.

What did it feel like to soar, to escape the bounds of gravity and natural limitations? To break the very rules of nature?

Petra and Levi might be able to tell him, but Erwin doubted that they would any time soon. Both humans were still frustrated and angry with their situation, in no mood to make conversation with the staff. They no doubt regarded the other servants with suspicion and disgust. 

“What the fuck are you staring at?” 

The words jolted Erwin out of his thoughts, blinking as he drew his eyes away from the thick scar that ran across the length of the raven’s chest. The tattoo had actually been placed perfectly in such a way that the line of paler, thicker skin ran through the middle of the open, gaping jaws. 

Grey eyes glowered weakly at him, but Levi was awake.

“Your scars.” Erwin answered honestly.

He watched with disbelief as Levi forced himself to slowly sit up with a groan. No doubt the raven was in horrible pain, but he masked it under a glare. Just what the hell was this young man made of to bounce back so quickly despite the torture that he had endured? With just as much of a bad attitude to boot. 

Getting a raised brow, Erwin continued, “You have many of them, I’m just surprised. More so than any other human when they first arrive in these lands.”

Levi rolled his eyes. “When you live in a world of kill or be killed you don’t exactly get away from every encounter scott free.” 

“It appears so,  Kleiner Giftzahn.” 

“It appears so, Butler Brows.” Levi snarked back, smirking at the floored expression sent his way, so the other wasn’t so unflappable after all. 

Levi’s own face was clearing saying ‘I can call you names too’. 

The blond sighed. “I was only informing you of your chosen name by the master for the staff to call you besides your number, Nine. Kleiner Giftzahn means ‘Little Fang’, the fang which venomous serpents have, in one of the demonic tongues. Apparently, it was for your mouth.” Erwin tried to keep his composure, really he did. Taking a deep breath a he pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand. “I heard about your stunt last night. Are you trying to get on the lord’s bad side?”

Levi scoffed. “I thought that was his only side?” 

“You are only making it worse!” The blond all but shouted.

Erwin’s hand immediately went to cover his own mouth, shocked by the fact that he had raised his voice. His eyes flickered to the bathroom door, but when the demon didn’t come charging out to investigate he sighed softly, shaking his head. Levi and his behaviour had everyone on edge. There was no knowing what the raven would do next, but after an actual murder attempt...everyone should be wary.

Everyone except Eren, who was mostly entertained by his pet.

Eren thought Levi was rowdy. That his attempt at strangling his master alive was feisty.

Erwin would have prayed for all their sakes had he believed that there were any angels left that would listen.

“I understand that you are far from pleased with your situation,” Erwin tried to be understanding, but it was difficult when this was the norm for him, “and you are probably hurting right now after this morning’s…activities. But please do try to last longer than a week.”

“Whatever you say,  _ nanny _ .” Levi retorted. 

Silence reigned for a moment as they stared each other down.

Erwin shook his head.

Despite the bite of the two humans’ words, they found themselves fighting the slight smiles tugging at their lips. There was no winning against Levi. He just couldn’t keep his mouth shut when it counted. Matching each other turn for turn, the filters that Erwin had grown up with were being tugged away by Levi’s quip. However, when the doorknob turned, Erwin stepped away from the bed quickly, nodding his head respectfully to his master. 

Internally, the blond berated himself, knowing that he should not get emotionally close to Eren’s pet. It would only bring suffering later.

“Is there anything else you wish of me for now, Sir?”

“Just bring another pot of tea in another two hours. You may leave.” Eren dismissed, using a towel to dry off his hair as he stepped back into the room, this time in all his naked glory. 

Levi blanched at the sight, scooting slightly back on the bed as the demon approached. The raven sent a small glare towards the doors as he heard the click of them closing, realizing Erwin had retreated and left him with the wolf. 

While Levi wanted nothing to do with the demon, he found his eyes wandering over the naked form before him. He couldn’t help it. There was just so much skin and Levi had never known anyone to be so utterly shameless in their nudity. Eren seemed proud. Completely invulnerable even in what should have been quite a vulnerable state. Eren obviously wanted Levi to look at him, so the raven did. Every inch of Eren’s body was sculpted with firm muscle and thin lines decorated the skin that spoke a testament of past battles and wounds. Eren was not some pretentious being of flawless skin. He had scars and blemishes. He had bled. He could be killed. However, none of the marks looked to be near life threatening, which said that not many ever got a significant hit on the demon. 

In a strange way the sight of those scars were comforting to Levi for a multitude of reasons. 

Those marks meant that Eren wasn’t immortal, he could be injured and if Eren could bleed, he could indeed die. Just not by Levi’s hand, according to the fiend. They also showed that Eren wasn’t some weak piece of shit that didn’t know how to handle himself in a fight. He had fought and won. Many times, obviously. The title of Lord wasn’t just handed out to those without the ability and the power to keep it. Last night’s struggle hadn’t been a fluke or just Eren being physically stronger than Levi. The demon knew how to escape certain holds and could wrestle Levi into submission with ease. 

There was a certain part of Eren’s anatomy that Levi only took a short glance at, trying not to inwardly blanch at the idea of such a thing being shoved up his backdoor. Instead he tried to focus on Eren’s words as the brunet spoke. 

“Do you dislike Erwin?” Eren asked.

His eyes locked onto his pet even as Eren poured two cups of tea from the teapot on the tray. The amber liquid fragmented the room beautifully, wafting through the air with gentle notes of earthiness and subtle sweetness.

“I think there would be a far shorter list of people I like compared to otherwise.” Levi admitted. “Like on a single fucking hand.”

As soon as the words escaped him, Levi tensed up. He cursed himself silently, wondering if he was going to be punished once more. He really needed to think before he spoke, especially when it was something crass like that. While the agony spell seemed to have been lifted from him, it would be so easy for Eren to enact it once more. It went without saying that Eren wasn’t on the short list of people Levi enjoyed.

“Still such a foul mouth.” Eren smiled menacingly, though his gaze remained on the tea. “We should put it to better use.”

The sinister smile that was on the other’s face left little doubt to the meaning behind those words and Levi forced himself not to grimace. He didn’t want to give the demon the satisfaction of getting under his skin like that.  

“But let’s fill it with something more… wholesome, shall we, angel?” Eren answered as he slid onto the bed once more.

Eren outright beamed when Levi didn’t immediately try to wriggle further away from him. Instead Levi seemed to be holding his ground despite the twitching of pale fingers that told the tale of how badly he wished to flee from the presence of his master. Or perhaps he was considering a second strangling attempt? Who knew?

Picking up the tray from the nightstand, Eren set it down in front of him and patted a hand on the bed by his hip. Eren’s smile was wide and friendly, but there was a firmness in his gaze as he waited to see if Levi really had learned his lesson. Eren was delighted by the fact that the quirky human quickly moved to sit by his side. For now, small orders seemed to be followed without question. A good sign so far. Levi was not broken in, but he was infinitely more wary of what his own actions might bring about for the moment.

However, when Levi started to reach for a piece of what appeared to be toast, he received a light smack to the appendage. His hand swatted away. While not significantly hard, it still made Levi hiss from the sting, skin blossoming a bright red as Eren clicked his tongue in reprimand. 

“Tutt, tutt. You only eat what comes from my hand, Levi.” Eren admonished, determined to keep his pet dependant on him. “I wouldn’t want you to eat anything bad for your tummy.” 

This conditioning was vital in gradually breaking down the rather annoying case of independence and suspicion that Levi was suffering. Not that he could really be blamed for it, poor thing.

Levi needed to learn to trust his master. He had to. Eren was his only ally here and the sooner Levi accepted that, the easier things would be for the both of them.

“Then are you going to feed me?” Levi asked wearily.

He was hungry and tired of the shit he already been subjected to since he woke up. If letting Eren spoonfeed him would move things along, then whatever.

“Patience is a virtue, little one.” 

Still Eren picked up a bright red strawberry and offered it to those pink lips. But when they opened to accept the fruit Levi found a kiss pressed against them, a warm tongue invading to sample and taste. Before Levi could react, Eren retreated once more, slipping the fruit passed still open lips with a smirk. 

Eyebrows pinched together, Levi glared as he slowly chewed the sweet fruit into pulp and swallowed it down. When another piece of food didn’t immediately come, but his appetite wetted, Levi felt his nerves twitch. 

Eren didn’t keep him waiting long, smiling. “I want a kiss for each piece, that’s the price.” 

Levi felt his eye twitch. “Doesn’t being a pet mean everything comes for free? I don’t think cats and dogs pay their owners for picking up their shit.”

His freedom seemed to already be far too high of a price Levi had already ripped from him. 

“I could treat you more like a dog, would you like that?” Eren asked with a raised brow.

Yeah, Levi didn’t need more of that than he was already getting from the demon. Holding back a groan, Levi leaned forward to give a quick peck to Eren’s lips. The contact lasted for less than a second and his expression clearly told Eren that he wasn’t getting any more than that without being specific. 

“So stingy,” Eren complained, but he sounded more amused than truly angry about it.

After all, Levi was obeying him. That was what mattered. Baby steps.

Picking up a piece of thick and crispy bacon, he offered it to the hungry human.The smoky, sweet taste of the meat seemed to be incredibly pleasing because Levi let out a soft moan that made Eren’s ears prick up. 

Food was definitely the way to get to Levi, the next kiss coming quicker and with far less hesitation. 

Giving the next piece of food quickly and getting kisses in response was the pattern that was set. Levi was far too skinny in Eren’s opinion and while the raven was strong, far stronger than his small and malnourished condition would make one believe, he wasn’t healthy. Granted it might be better to keep the other a bit underweight to help keep Levi under control, the idea didn’t appeal to Eren.  Having Levi’s bony ass on his lap wouldn’t be as comfortable as it would be if he had a bit more  meat on his bones. Also, Eren was a creature fueled by wonder, hunger, and greed. He had been told all through his life that his curiosity would be the death of him. With Levi, that might very well be the case. 

If Eren made a big enough mistake, Levi would take any chance he got to end him. Last night had proved as much. Cowed as Levi acted at the moment, Eren wasn’t stupid enough to think that such a feisty creature would have been broken by just a little pain. Intense as it had been. No, Eren suspected that it would take something much more. 

It would be an uphill battle, but the reward at the top would be oh so worth it. Eren was certain of that when he heard a soft sound of pleasure escape from Levi once more as the human tasted the latest morsel from his fingertips. 

A piece of syrup and sugar covered French Toast. 

“You’re a saucy tart, I suppose you do need some sweetness to balance you out.” Eren mused aloud, smirking at the look he received.

As he started to draw his fingers away after feeding another piece to the human, Eren felt the edges of Levi’s teeth edge the tips of the digits. It was a threat to bite and with one swift move, Eren cuffed the back of Levi’s head making the other grunt in surprise and pain. 

“You really are a testy thing, but from this morning on your training has begun.” Eren snagged a fistful of Levi’s hair, tugging the other’s head in front of him to smile. “I’m not going to let you fuck with me. That’s my job after all.” 

“Then why haven’t you done it yet?” Levi growled, his own challenge, he was confused by the fact that Eren seemed to be holding back.

The way that Erwin and Marco had acted the day before made him think that he would have been jumped by now.

The brunet tilted his head. “Are we that eager?” 

Eren was answered with silence and it made him roll his eyes, but he released the raven from the uncomfortable hold. Quickly, Eren picked up the tray now that it seemed that Levi had eaten more than his fill. Levi had to be if he was challenging him in such a way. In one swift move, Eren gripped his little pet by the upper arm, a quick jerk and Levi was almost sent rolling off the bed, but instead stopped just at the foot of it. 

“I think we need to put your mouth to work to match your words.” Eren’s tone had dropped watching as Levi pushed himself back up into a sitting position obviously a little disoriented from his sudden shifting.

“Let’s start your next lesson. Get me off, pet.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed this new chapter, Levi's a marvel with a will that stands just as strong as Eren's own. But how will he deal with such an interesting demand, will these two ever find a middle ground?
> 
> As always, if you enjoyed this chapter, please comment. We have more on the way!


	7. Tastes Like Sulfur

_“Let’s start your next lesson. Get me off, pet.”_

Levi outright scowled at the words, but that only seemed to make Eren’s playful smile grow wider. The brunet looked entirely too pleased with Levi’s obvious hesitation.

“Surely you have at least some idea of what to do, little one?” Eren cooed at him, the fucker.

Even if Levi hadn’t previously known how a man might get off, Eren’s whorish cocksucking display before would have clued him in plenty.

Rather than not knowing what it was he was being ordered to do, Levi had a whole lot of an idea. And that was what made him frown. Really, was he above sucking a dick in order to go on living another day? No. No, because that was just stupid. There were much worse things. But just looking at Eren and knowing what he was made Levi wonder where he’d been. What he’d touched.  _ Who  _ he’d touched. Despite knowing they had both washed up that day, Levi felt suddenly unclean.

Noticing Levi’s displeased frown, Eren actually seemed to clue in that something was wrong beyond Levi’s pride being jabbed at.

“If there’s something the matter, now is the time to tell me.” The brunet said, surprisingly calm.

Levi looked at him and was surprised to find Eren’s eyes were quite reasonable for once. There was no mischief present. Not then.

“It’s dirty. What you’re asking.”

Eren raised an eyebrow at the raven. “Literally or figuratively?”

Levi made a face.

Eren gave a little sigh, like he was dealing with some bothersome child. “I just bathed, precious. You know that.”

“I know.”

“Not up to my little fox’s standards, is it?” Eren said, but he was smirking when Levi looked up. “Well if you’d prefer to give it your own  _ personal  _ touch, I might be persuaded to bathe again?”

The playfulness was back, but Levi had found a deal that was just about as good as he’d get. He nodded, his stern expression apparently hilarious to Eren who only snickered at him. It clearly wasn’t the scenario that the demon had planned but Eren didn’t seem too bothered by the sudden turn of events. He would be getting his way, Levi had only postponed the inevitable.

Anything to make the task more bearable.

“Well alright then.” Eren announced, all but springing off the bed, waiting for Levi to follow. “Lead on.”

The brunet waved a hand in gesture for Levi to go on ahead first, waiting with a sharp-toothed smile that Levi didn’t trust one bit. A friendly predator. Oh yes, go right on ahead and don’t mind me staring at you like you’re my next meal. Levi glared, but he knew it was a wasted effort. Eren wasn’t cowed by his posturing, not even a little bit, and Levi didn’t have room to be trusting people here anyway. And so Levi scooted off of the bed, padding towards the bathing chamber with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. In the very least, he would be getting a chance to clean up again. On his own terms, too. After all the years in the Underground, Levi could spend just as many years washing and he’d probably still not feel entirely free of the sewers and rotting, stagnant aura of the place.

Eren pranced in behind Levi as the raven set about searching the ornately decorated cabinets, looking through various oils and additives he’d scarcely even heard of before.

Tea-tree oil? Lavender? Rose water? What in the ever loving shit was rose water?

The stuff smelled nice, though.

“Not bad.” Levi commented, eyeing the vials with more appreciation now that he’d at least figured out that they weren’t useless.

Levi could practically feel Eren smiling at him, but he paid the demon no mind. Instead he started uncapping vials, sniffing various things, and eventually Eren got to preparing the bath himself. Probably with an overabundance of his shitty demonic sorcery. Because a creature like Eren was obviously too good to turn taps on and off with his own two hands.

Not a whole lot of the smells Levi found seemed like they’d go well together, so he picked just the vials labelled as lavender and rose water. Surely a bunch of flowery smells couldn’t go wrong together? He determinedly ignored Eren’s presence on the march over to the bath, surprised to find the water steaming impressively under Eren’s care. The brunet had a hand hovering over the surface of the bath. His fingers skimmed the surface and Eren deemed the temperature to be appropriate, turning to look at Levi’s findings.

“Are you a fan of flowers, little one?” Eren asked, leaning over Levi’s shoulder to read the little label.

Levi chose not to bother with an answer for that. Instead he tipped a small amount of the vials’ contents into the steaming water.

Huh. It looked like regular old oil, yellowish and boring, but the smell was actually quite pleasant. The twin scents rose up with the steam, drawing a sigh from Levi. This was as close to Heaven as he’d probably get, minus the demon obviously.

Rounding on a leering Eren, Levi gave the brunet a stern once-over.

He really shouldn’t have given that the twerp was still unbelievably naked and that was just about the last thing Levi needed.

He met Eren’s eyes with as blank a look as he could manage. “We’re going to smell like a fucking garden by the time I’m done with you.”

Eren gave a delighted little shiver and lowered his lids a fraction.

“Can’t wait.”

No use putting it off any longer, Levi thought. With the vials returned, he stepped over the edge of the bath and into the water.

And  _ sweet sainted Maria _ that was hot.

Eren wasn’t fucking around with the temperature, that much was clear. But that little fact gave Levi a bizarre feeling of relief - if Eren was serious about letting Levi clean them both up, then there might not be any funny business required until after. And that would be infinitely more comforting for the raven. As ridiculous as it seemed, Levi would have a thousand percent less qualms about sucking cock that smelled of flowers. Like really. That had to be the best case scenario for any dick-to-mouth contact that Levi could think of. Heck, if it shut Eren up, that might not even be so bad.

A little humiliating, but Levi knew of worse things.

Eren followed him into the bath, but more slowly. He took his time prowling, admiring Levi’s blatant appreciation of the water and even the simple soap that was available.

“I didn’t realise this was so important to you.” Eren said, and something about the lack of a stupid pet name had Levi worried. Like Eren was being serious in his observation. Like he had just found a little weakness to use against the raven if need be. “I’ll have to remember that in future.”

Levi met the brunet’s gaze as Eren stood by the tub, grazing the water with long fingers.

“You do that,” Levi said with a nod, “and we’ll have a lot less problems.”

Eren smiled. “Is that so.”

He stepped over the edge and into the water with a sigh, the conversation apparently dropped. Probably before they could get into any real threats and spoil the mood. Not that there was much of a mood to begin with.

Those big eyes were on Levi again as Eren found a comfortable spot, lounging against the opposite end of the tub.

“Come here, pet.” Eren cooed at him.

He beckoned with a finger, but Levi only scoffed at him.

“You can just keep your hands to yourself.” Levi muttered, already busy lathering himself up with soap. “I’ll get to you in a minute, have your peep show for now, pervert.”

Eren actually looked a little taken aback by the attitude. Not that it was anything new. But the open defiance, the odd confidence that Levi got when he was even vaguely in his element, was clearly a shock to the demon. He didn’t appear to be displeased, either. No indeed, one foolish glance between Eren’s legs informed Levi that the brunet was far from displeased. Eren didn’t bother touching himself, which must have been infuriating for him. Personally Levi wasn’t sure how Eren could even have a boner in the near-scalding water, but he wasn’t game to ask. It was probably a demon thing.

The inevitable show went highly appreciated by Eren, his eyes hungrily following the way Levi’s nimble fingers moved across pale skin. Eren’s grin stretched wide as Levi stubbornly introduced soap to his tattoos regardless of the still-tender areas. Levi grimaced when he pressed his fingers into the new black marks that adorned his body. The tattoos would never lose their color or fade - the demonic cocktail of demon blood, ink, and pigments assured that. To his credit though, Levi didn’t pause in his work. He was determined, it would seem, to not let Eren get to him in such a small way. From this angle, Levi could examine the strange letters etched into his abdomen, but he could only see the top portion of the set of teeth bearing down on his heart.

As long as it wasn’t the loss of a limb or something permanent that could hinder his escape, Levi assured himself that he could deal with whatever Eren threw at him. That included some stupid marks.

Left to entertain himself while Levi washed up, Eren sighed and hummed and tried his best to be distracting. He was stuck with a dilemma. Eren wanted Levi’s attention, in more ways than one, quite badly. But he also knew that letting Levi have his way in this case would provide much better results than pushing him. Eren was determined to show his little pet that he could be reasonable, not always the cruel and taunting master that Levi seemed to think.

Tanned legs stretched out, clawed toes bumping Levi from time to time. Teasing. Just trying to get attention, really. But Levi had no intention of paying Eren any mind until he was finished scrubbing himself to within an inch of his life. And he really gave that his best shot. Eren was almost alarmed at the vigorous scrub down that Levi put himself through, apparently uncaring of how his skin pinked under the assault. Levi was determined to reach every last spot. It gave Eren more of a view than he had honestly been inspecting, though the brunet was distracted somewhat by the beginnings of concern.

It was an unnecessary worry, as Levi finished soon after.

The water didn’t cool at all as time passed, still as hot as when they’d entered it when Levi finally turned to Eren. He must have looked at least a little intimidating because Eren gave pause at the sudden approach of this sopping little man, armed with soap, determination, and a stubborn gaze.

“No funny business.” Levi warned as he loomed before the brunet.

Eren’s hands twitched in obvious desire to touch, but he was saved the trouble when Levi snatched up one of his wrists anyway. Sloshed with water first, Levi lathered one bronzed arm from shoulder to fingertips. This kind of touching wasn’t nearly as embarrassing. In fact it was a bit therapeutic. Even washing someone else was gratifying in its own way, Levi thought. Though Eren looked thoroughly stunned at just how thorough his little human had decided to be. If Levi had been rough on himself, he was doubly so with Eren.

After trying to get Levi to touch him since the raven’s arrival, Eren found Levi’s fingers got just about everywhere within the spans of several rather intense minutes. Intense because Levi was nothing short of ruthless when cleaning. Any complaints were met with harsher scrubbing and Levi didn’t let another man’s erection daunt him in his mission of the world’s most thorough head-to-toe scrub down.

Once he was used to Levi’s less than gentle treatment, Eren found the little human’s touch to be oddly relaxing. Like a massage, working tension out of every last muscle until Eren felt boneless.

The brunet let his head fall back, humming his appreciation.

He glanced up when Levi reached for his tail, smirking at the raven’s struggle to catch hold of the darned thing. It tended to have a mind of its own half the time. Levi seemed at a loss of what to do with it, clearly having no prior experience with tails himself. The extra appendage had coiled about the raven’s arms, his legs, even fingers while Levi had been scrubbing at other areas of its owner. Levi practically had to wrestle the damned thing to get a hold of it when the time came for said tail to be cleaned.

After Levi sent a particularly murderous look over his shoulder at the brunet, Eren relented in his game.

His tail slithered up to coil about one of the raven’s wrists and there it remained.

“Finally.” Levi huffed.

Eren had to bite back the urge to chuckle. His little human already sounded out of breath.

Levi’s confusion with Eren’s tail didn’t end just because he had a hold of the thing, or rather it had a hold of him. He scrubbed at it anyway, from tip to where it joined Eren’s body a little ways above his ass.

The raven outright rolled his eyes at Eren’s low moan when Levi got to the base, where tail and lower back met.

“Of fucking course.” Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. “Don’t tell me. This is like a second dick to you, isn’t it? You little nasty.”

Eren only hummed, low and amused, letting his tail wrap around Levi’s forearm to tug him closer.

“Oi. None of that!” Levi snapped, though he had to brace himself on the brunet’s chest or risk falling right on top of him. He managed a spectacularly cross glower regardless of the position. “I’m not finished with you yet, have some goddamned patience.”

“Oooh I like the sound of that.” Eren purred, but he let the raven go.

Eren still tossed his head back with a flurry of pleasured sounds when Levi got to washing between his legs. No special treatment there, either. But the damned demon was durable enough that even his more tender areas weren’t troubled by Levi’s rough treatment.

“I don’t believe it.” Levi shook his head. “You’ve got literal balls of steel.”

Eren sent him a lazy smile. “Remember that, should you get the urge to bite down later.”

Levi just nodded, because really that was exactly the sort of thing he might have spitefully considered doing. And no amount of revenge was worth shattering your own teeth.

Finally, Levi got to washing Eren’s hair. He had to practically straddle Eren to do it, as the brunet wouldn’t move to let the raven get in behind him. No big deal, Eren could just deal with the full force of Levi’s death glare the entire time, up real close and personal. And really, being able to slosh the big twerp in the face with suds and steaming water was probably the least awful experience of Levi’s time there.

Eren actually spluttered, composure completely thrown for the first time, and Levi just snorted at him.

He discovered, with no surprise whatsoever at this point, that Eren also found some vague pleasure from having his horns touched. Levi had only been trying to work around them, still wanting to get every bit of scalp. So he’s let his fingertips run around the base of said horns, feeling the difference between skin and much harder bone. When Eren let a moan catch in his throat, Levi only sighed and shook his head.

Of fucking course.

The horns were cleaned too; Levi wasn’t going to let some demon weirdness get in the way of his goal, and finally Levi figured they were just about done.

“You’re not so annoying when you’re bedraggled.” Levi commented, rinsing the last suds from Eren’s hair.

The brunet made an unamused sound in his throat.

“That so?” He asked.

Levi wasn’t expecting Eren to launch himself at him, but really what else would a demon do when taunted? The movement sent water splashing over the sides of the tub. Levi found himself pinned to the other end, a very enthusiastic tongue invading his mouth. So much for keeping one’s hands to oneself.

Eren came up for air only because he knew his human needed to breathe, and he didn’t back up very far. Just far enough to Levi to pull in a sharp breath.

“Give a guy some warning, geez.” Levi rasped.

The brunet cocked his head to one side, a slow smirk spreading. “Too soon for romance?” Eren cooed, sliding his nose along Levi’s.

Levi felt himself flush, but still managed to glower. “Shoving your tongue down someone’s throat is not romance.”

Eren grinned in his face, then vanished. With a giddy laugh, he’d taken off. Levi barely saw him moving, but when a towel dropped itself on the floor and the door burst open and closed Levi guessed that Eren was a little eager to get to the next part of the little deal.

Levi briefly considered staying put in the bath, but he didn’t want to find out what else Eren could do to the water. He had no intention of being boiled alive.

The water immediately began to drain the moment Levi stood up and he tried not to let that bother him. Fucking weird mansion. Weird furniture. He collected the fallen towel and put it on a hanger to dry, then snatched up a clean one for himself. In this area, Levi did take his sweet time. There was only so much drying that a towel could do for his hair, though, so eventually Levi figured he had to face the music.

The door swung open silently under Levi’s touch and he stepped out, eyes wandering. Immediately he found Eren lounging on the bed, sprawled out on his side like some lazing lioness, dark eyes locked onto Levi.

That hungry gaze tracked Levi from the bathroom door all the way to the edge of the mattress. Levi crawled onto the bed, but he didn’t go far. Instead he waited, watching Eren growing impatient. Get him off, Eren had said. Did that even mean a blowjob or could Levi use his hands? Or both? And holy Maria that was the most Levi had ever bothered thinking about another man’s dick in his life. This place was getting to him.

Eren rocked up into a sitting position suddenly, though Levi made sure not to startle. He watched Eren scoot back to lean against the headboard, making himself comfortable before he beckoned Levi over.

“Come and sit.” Eren said, sounding awfully calm despite his eyes being all but blacked out.

When Levi made to settle somewhat awkwardly between Eren’s legs, he found himself being stopped.

“Up here, pet.” Eren tugged him along until Levi was forced to straddle his stomach. The brunet nodded behind him. “Face the end of the bed.”

“Why?” Levi asked, leaning back to glare at Eren with narrowed eyes.

“So I can distract you.” Eren smiled, that playful look that Levi didn’t trust resurfacing on plush lips. “I want this to be something you enjoy doing, not something daunting you have to overthink. Turn around.”

After a good thirty seconds of scowling, Levi did so.

He felt Eren’s hand settle between his shoulder blades, pushing gently.

“Down, pet. On your stomach.”

And down he went, tugged back by his thighs. Levi almost yelped, biting back on the sound so that it escaped as a grunt instead. And he found himself face to face with what he’d been dreading for quite some time now. Levi grimaced at the feeling of Eren’s cock against his cheek, already sticky at the tip.

He had to stifle a laugh, though.

The brat really did smell like flowers now.

“Now this is a splendid view.” Eren’s disembodied voice said from somewhere behind the raven.

Levi felt hands on the insides of his thighs and he flushed, suddenly having a very vivid image of what Eren’s view was. He felt a hot press against one thigh, a kiss.

“That’s...certainly very distracting.” Levi admitted with a grimace.

Eren only gave a distracted hum in reply, too busy kneading at Levi’s thighs.

Levi huffed, thoroughly flustered but too stubborn to let it show. He glared at the daunting length in front of him, taking Eren’s cock in hand and squeezing. It earned him an approving sound. At least Eren hadn’t gotten pissed and decided to simply eat Levi instead of this.

Biting the metaphorical bullet, and most decidedly not biting the quite literal penis, Levi leaned in and let his mouth close around the glistening tip. Eren tensed immediately, though thankfully he did not buck. Eren’s hips gave a slow push, coaxing more of his length past Levi’s lips, but mercifully gently and not very far.

“More of that.” Eren breathed. “More of anything, just touch me.”

Levi peeled his mouth back off the throbbing erection, finding that the tang of precum didn’t not complement the floral smells that clung to Eren’s skin. But it wasn’t awful. More funny than anything else, Levi never thought he’d give his first blowjob smiling. But he couldn’t help it. Every few licks he’d think about how fucking stupid they must look, smelling of flowers and sucking cock, and he’d have to take a moment to shake his head.

What a fucking mess he’d landed in.

Just as Levi had been gathering some semblance of confidence in a pattern of sucking and stroking what he was not yet game to fit in his mouth, Eren’s hands landed on his ass.

They squeezed, but Eren’s focus honed in on the little puckered mouth at the center. His hands guided Levi’s cheeks apart, exposing the little orifice, and before Levi could so much as protest there was a sudden, wet contact. Hot and slick, it curled right over his hole.

Levi changed his mind about his earlier thoughts - it turned out Eren did intend to eat him after all. Just...not in the way that the raven had feared.

And talk about distracting.

A startled moan escaped Levi’s throat, more alarmed than aroused. That quickly changed when a hand found its way around his thigh to grasp his cock, Eren’s fingers pinching at the pliant flesh. Unused to offered pleasure, Levi was startled to find himself hardening rather quickly under Eren’s attention. He wasn’t sure if that was more or less embarrassing than the fact that he had a mouthful of demon dick.

Best not to think about it. That was what Eren had wanted, wasn’t it? For him to be distracted?

Well fucking great job there, Eren. Distraction achieved.

Levi hadn’t known that it was possible to spitefully suck cock but he was doing a mighty good job of just that. As if he could get vengeance on Eren by being distracting himself.

While Eren busied himself with sucking on Levi’s entrance, the raven slid his mouth further down Eren’s length. He tested his comfort, surprised at how far he got before things started to feel unpleasant, and sucked back off again. A rhythm of up and down was built. Levi worked what flesh he couldn’t take in his mouth with his hand, bringing the other hand over to tug at Eren’s balls.

The demon jolted beneath him, though Eren’s throaty chuckle didn’t sound pained. Levi felt the hands on his ass squeeze just past the point of comfort, a wordless warning for him not to get carried away.

Feeling riled, Levi tugged again. Not with an express intention to hurt, mostly to keep Eren on his toes. For someone who’s cock was in another man’s hands, Levi was feeling spectacularly brave.

Another sound came from Eren, a low and amused hum.

The next thing Levi knew, there was pressure against his rim. Eren’s tongue pushed, more than it had before in teasing, and Levi stiffened when the tip breached him. It didn’t hurt, but the sensation was strange. Eren didn’t let up there, either. Levi gave a bleat of alarm around the flesh in his mouth when Eren’s tongue crept right into him, seeming far longer than it had any right to be.

Shitty demons and their tricks.

Levi pulled back off Eren’s cock, panting a little harshly at the new feelings. The hand around his own length tugged at him, providing some relief against the bizarre feeling of being filled even in this small way.

And then Eren groaned and Levi half-collapsed at the feeling.

He was left stunned and empty a moment later, big hands rubbing up and down his thighs as if in praise.

“You have no right to taste so good.” Eren moaned the words, returning to lick again at Levi’s tensing rim. “I could eat you right up, precious thing.”

That long tongue wormed its way back inside as Eren finished speaking and Levi shuddered. He could feel the wet muscle wriggling inside him, having its own personal field day with his insides. The worst part of it was that Levi didn’t even think that the sensations were bad. They were new, certainly.

He was afraid they might be good.

Levi all but fell back on Eren’s cock with renewed determination to get him off as quickly as possible. He took Eren almost all the way to the base, nearly choking himself. Eren tensed at the feeling, pausing at Levi’s brief coughing fit. Before the brunet could question him, Levi was back at it. More sensibly, this time. He made good use of his hands, slathering the mix of precum and saliva over Eren’s shaft, over his balls, stroking and not even sure if he was keeping pace with himself.

Apparently Eren caught on to Levi’s little ploy, for his own ministrations increased in response.

Levi almost shouted when that tongue rubbed about inside, nudging something stupidly sensitive that had the raven shaking for a moment.

He ignored Eren’s muffled laughter, pulling off of the demon’s cock to stroke him to completion. He knew Eren must be close with the way his hips kept twitching, longing to fuck Levi’s throat raw no doubt.

Levi stroked him roughly, hearing Eren give a little, pleasured growl behind him.

Eren’s tongue decided to punish that sweet spot inside as Levi was sure that the brunet was going to finish. The raven jolted in surprise at the onslaught of pleasure, involuntarily bucking his hips into Eren’s hand. White hot bliss crept up his spine and with a hiss, Levi felt himself burst. He shot his release in spurts between Eren’s chest and his stomach, grimacing at the mess and squirming at the overstimulation that Eren’s mischievous tongue put him through.

Right as Levi finished, a hand snaked into the raven’s hair. Levi found himself shoved in front of Eren’s throbbing cock, and despite his pushing it was too late to get out of the way. Thankfully the harsh angle that Eren had him held at meant that Eren only managed to splatter his chin and throat with the evidence of his own pleasure.

The demon let out a long moan and Levi writhed in his grip, feeling the buzz of vibration within.

Finally, mercifully, Eren left him empty.

Levi let go of a sigh that was higher in pitch than he’d intended, but he couldn’t be fucked to care right about then. He grimaced a little at the feeling of Eren smothering his thighs with kisses and little licks, twitching but too lazy to kick the twerp off.

“Fuck.” Levi breathed. “And fuck you, bastard. We just got clean.”

Eren chuckled at him, planting one last smacking kiss to Levi’s winking entrance.

“You did very well, Levi.” The brunet praised him. “That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”

Levi snorted. “It was pretty hard.” He muttered.

Eren caught onto the joke quite quickly, though his laughter seemed surprised. Like humour was the last thing he’d expected from the human right about then.

“I suppose you will want to wash up again?” Eren asked.

Levi hummed. “You read my mind.”

“I didn’t, pet, I swear-” Eren started fretting.

“It was a fucking joke, you moron. A figure of speech, that I knew you’d take to have another meaning.”

And wow, he was just full of jokes today.

In a startling burst of motion, Levi found his position reversed and he was face to face with a purring Eren. The brunet nuzzled the side of his head, affectionate all of a sudden. Levi shoved his face away when Eren tried for a kiss.

Eren whined under Levi’s palm, confused.

“Maria  _ no _ , think about where your tongue has been!” Levi growled, shoving harder when Eren only licked at his fingers.

“But Leviiiii-”

“No!” Levi’s glare only intensified when Eren attempted to growl at him. “Be as creepy as you like but I’m not putting my face near that until you’ve brushed your teeth at least twenty times. And I plan to fucking supervise that shit. Don’t whine at me, get your sorry ass to the bathroom!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp here's a new chapter, both of our schedules are becoming less hectic thankfully and we still have two or three more chapters already written that will come out soon. This story will grow ever longer from there so look forward to it. 
> 
> Levi is bending, but still far from breaking. As he says, sometimes you got to suck a dick to deal with a bigger one to survive. 
> 
> Such a colorful way to put things in this situation, of course we never would want this to happen in real life. 
> 
> As always, if you enjoyed this chapter, please comment. We have more on the way!


	8. Faces on A Devil's Coin

Levi found himself blinking back into wakefulness, though he couldn’t recall having gone to sleep in the first place. His mind trying to shuffle itself back into order as it fought off the hold sleep tried to keep on him, he remembered the punishment and then his first time giving head to the demon, but that was all. 

Sitting up, he found himself immediately alert. There was a familiar prickling of awareness, something that Levi had always felt when he was being watched. Looking around, however, Levi found that Eren was nowhere to be seen.

Levi had half a mind to call for the demon, if only to know where he was. 

Something stopped him from doing so, a jolt of awareness, and Levi’s gaze snapped towards one of the windows. The curtains there were drawn to let in light. Only something was casting a shadow.

The figure waved at him, balanced precariously on a balcony ledge, and Levi scrambled to open the heavy glass before the moron fell and killed themselves. He managed to heave the window open and the figure tumbled inside.

“Petra, what the fuck?”

The redhead coughed from where she had landed in a heap, unceremoniously picking herself up. She glanced at Levi, pausing only momentarily to eye the state he was in.

“I could ask the same of you.” The woman muttered dryly.

“You honestly thought the life of a pleasure slave came with clothes?” He drawled, somehow less offended with Petra seeing him in a state of undress than any of the staff.

Maybe it was because they were both in the same boat. Everything here was new and weird to them, and Petra could appreciate his brand of suffering.

Still, he stomped off to grab a blanket for the sake of their shattered modesty.

“I’m...surprised you’re still in one piece.” Petra murmured.

Levi glanced up from where he was busy tying the corners of a blanket about his waist, raising an eyebrow at the woman.

“You and me both. What are you doing here? You know what Eren would do if he caught the two of us together in here of all places? This is  _ his  _ room. Seriously, you should fuck off before he comes back and skins us both alive.”

“I know. I wasn’t planning on staying long, I just...I wanted to make sure you were still alive.”

Levi sent her a look, picking up on her odd tone. “Something happened.” He said. “What did he do?”

“They called it punishment.” Petra said, and she sounded exhausted. “Discipline after our little prison break attempt.”

Levi’s eyes lit up with understanding and he nodded. “How bad?”

“He locked me in a stall next to the hellhounds.” Petra said, her voice brittle. “I was in there from late afternoon all through the night till Oluo came to get me this morning. Didn’t sleep a wink the whole time.”

“Sweet fucking Maria.”

Petra just nodded. “The sounds they made, Levi. All night, every waking second they were trying to break through into my stall. Lord Jaeger said...he said that if they could reach me, I was free game. He wanted them to fucking devour me.”

“He’s playing favourites.” Levi glowered. “All I got was some shitty tattoos and an agony spell. Not fun but...he didn’t terrorise me.”

Petra looked at Levi as if in new light, taking in the markings.

“These...Eren did this to you?”

“With his own hands.” Levi grimaced. “I mean it fucking sucked, but I can take it. What’s a little more pain after the shithole we got dragged out of, right?”

“What’s this?” Petra hovered her fingers over the bold scrawl across the raven’s abdomen.

She frowned when Levi all but jumped away from her, his eyes a little wide.

“Don’t touch. That’s...I’m his property now, if he smells you on me you’re as good as gone.”

“O-Oh.” Petra stared back at him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think. But then...won’t he be able to smell me in the room?”

Levi looked a tad anxious. “Probably.”

“Will you get in trouble?”

“I’ll think of some bullshit to worm my way out of it. He’s got quite the temper, but clearly I don’t have it quite as bad as the rest of you. Did you...did you hear what happened to Marco?”

Petra blinked, frowning. “No, what happened to Marco?”

She hadn’t interacted with Marco yet, only having heard his name from the others.

Levi’s shoulders slumped a little and he sighed. “I don’t know. I was hoping you would know, but he’s in deep shit as far as Eren is concerned. All because I was an idiot and lashed out.”

“You lashed out at Eren?”

“At Marco.” Levi said, then backpedalled. “Well I mean I kind of tried to strangle Eren, so yes. Yes I lashed out at him too, but that isn’t what I’m concerned about.”

Petra just looked at Levi like he was amazing.

“You really tried to take him down? A demon?”

“I’d done it before, but apparently Eren isn’t the same kind of demon as we’re used to. He’s a tough motherfucker, that’s for sure.”

They sat in silence for a moment, both more and more troubled by their situation.

“Okay so no touching, but what is this marking?” Petra asked again after a moment.

Levi glanced at the blocky scrawl across his stomach.

“His name.” Levi shrugged. “In whatever foul tongue they speak here. The ink was infused with his blood so I’m kind of screwed escape-wise now.”

“Holy Maria.” Petra breathed, her eyes filled with horror. She seemed to recall something awful, then smiled bitterly. “I had a similar threat imposed on me. The hounds all know my scent now, and Eren said point blank that if he ever had to set the beasts on me, it wouldn’t be to bring me back safe and sound.”

“Sounds like we’re both soundly fucked, then.”

“For the moment, we are.” Petra sighed, but she seemed strangely determined. “But maybe we don’t have to be.”

“Those sound like the words of a schemer. Don’t get yourself into any more trouble, will you?”

“But-”

“Petra. We’re in some seriously deep shit here. Piss off the wrong people, and we’re dead. Straight up dead. Just...as shitty as it sounds, just try to survive. After the shit we’ve pulled already, everyone on this damned property is going to be suspicious of us both for a long time so there is no sense in rushing to escape. Make friendly with the natives. Keep your head down. We’ll bide our time, learn whatever we can, and if there’s ever a chance, we’ll get the fuck out of here. But until then...just do what you’ve gotta do.”

Petra looked back at him, her eyes stern and yet full of understanding.

She nodded, turning for the window, but paused to look back at him.

“The same applies to you, little man.” She said, surprisingly kind despite the cheeky barb. “Do what you have to do and survive. If our captors feel no shame, then neither will we.”

Levi nodded.

“Leeeevi!” A cheery voice called, muffled but close.

Levi stiffened for the briefest moment before he was on his feet, waving violently for Petra to book it the hell out of there.

“ _ It’s Eren, go, _ ” he mouthed and signed at the startled redhead.

Levi heard her scrambling to get out even as he yanked off the blanket that had been shrouding him from the waist down. He tossed the blanket on the bed, clambering up onto the mattress. Crap, how had he been lying before he’d gotten up? He’d been in such a rush to get to the window, he hadn’t even thought about that and-

The window,  _ shit _ !

Levi stiffened, halfway to a seated position as the door swung open. It was too late to pretend that he was still asleep. Fuck, fuck, shit. Act natural. Levi stole a glance in the direction of the window and winced. Petra had made it out and was nowhere to be seen, no doubt scaling down the front of the building by now. But the window was left open, nonetheless.

Would Eren notice?

Of course he fucking would. The real question was how long would it take him to notice?

Eren crept in like he was trying to be quiet. He had a small parcel in his hands, a box of some sort. Whatever Eren had been off doing, he was done and returned. What awful timing he did have. Then Eren’s eyes landed on Levi and he startled, looking stunned to find the raven awake and staring back at him.

“Afternoon.” Levi said, feeling incredibly awkward and suspicious.

“Oh.” Eren said, soft and surprised. “You’re up, pumpkin?”

Teal eyes darted around the room, no doubt looking for anything out of place. Anything missing that Levi might have been planning on stabbing him with. Levi figured Eren suspected he was going to try some dumb murdery shit again, and really that would have been a great idea. But he didn’t have a single weapon on hand.

Not unless his plethora of blankets counted. Which they didn’t.

He already knew that strangling didn’t work; it wasn’t worth a second attempt.

“How long have you been up, precious?” Eren asked, moving further into the room.

“Not long.” Levi answered honestly, glancing at the mattress when he feared his eyes might look guilty. “I had a dream that woke me up.” He lied.

Eren paused in his shifty inspection of the room to glance briefly at the raven. “Oh? What did you dream about?”

He placed the little box down on one of the small tables by the bed, prowling around the mattress. Still looking for things out of place.

Levi rolled his eyes. “Oh it was great. You keeled over and died, I ate your cold, lifeless heart, grew wings, and fucked off out of this place.”

Eren paused, turning to shoot the raven a wry look.

“Very funny, little viper.” And then he paused, nostrils flaring briefly. A knowing light crept into teal eyes and a slow smile spread across Eren’s face. “Very funny  _ indeed _ .”

Levi swallowed, and he knew Eren heard it because he turned that knowing smile Levi’s way.

The brunet’s tail twitched, the only real sign of Eren’s agitation. He knew, he fucking knew  _ exactly  _ what had happened, and yet all Eren did was move about his room sniffing, following the trail of scent to the open window.

Eren stood in front of it, turning to look at Levi over his shoulder.

“Getting a little fresh air, were you?” He asked.

There Eren went again with the lack of a pet name when the moment was more serious than it looked. Fuck.

Levi stared back at him. “Something like that.”

And goddammit, his voice cracked.

Eren’s lazy smile became an outright grin.

Levi managed not to react when Eren was suddenly right in front of him, nor when he was shoved back and pinned to the mattress. The raven only blinked.

“Sir?” He said, and yes he was absolutely kissing ass there with the ‘Sir’ but Levi wasn’t trying to get himself killed.

Eren’s eyes narrowed and he gave a long, contemplative hum. The demon leaned in close, ducking to press a lingering kiss to Levi’s throat. The threat of teeth there a moment later had Levi exhaling a shaky breath, but he wouldn’t squeal on Petra himself. If Eren wanted to mention it, then he would talk.

Levi jumped at a sudden wet heat that ran up his neck, the culprit being Eren’s tongue.

Eren took in a long, deep breath, leaning back to hover over the raven with hands resting on either side of Levi’s head.

The brunet stared him down fiercely for a long moment. Then he smiled, good naturedly, like everything was fine.

“Were you trying to have a little tea party without me?” He asked, grinning.

Levi swallowed again. “Minus the tea part,” he said, “which was a shame.”

Eren’s grin turned lazy, his eyes half-lidded in that way they got when Eren was deciding whether or not he was pissed or amused.

When the brunet gave a bark of a laugh, Levi swore he almost pissed himself from the relief.

Eren sat back, shaking his head and chuckling. He looked back at the still-open window, then glanced at Levi, eyes bright with curiosity.

“How the fuck did she get up here? That balcony is three storeys off the ground and her gear is locked away.”

Levi could only shrug. Come to think of it, he had no fucking idea how Petra had managed to scale the house either.

“Drainage pipes?” He offered.

Eren burst out laughing.

Then Levi frowned. “Wait. You. You have our gear? Here? Here in this house?”

Eren winced, but he was still smiling, eyes filled with mirth. “Well maybe more of the stables than the house.” He said.

“I want to see it.” Levi said, sitting up.

“Making demands now are we, my cheeky little fox?” Eren smirked. “I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. You’re still on house arrest and I have no intention of lifting that ban until you can prove yourself a little more trustworthy. Although…” Eren paused, and here he got an oddly vulnerable light in his eyes, glancing away, “I am...pleased to see that you did not run given the first available opportunity. Thank you.”

Levi blinked at him, thrown off by this side of Eren. This Eren made Levi wonder about previous pets...and what they had done to make him so wary of people leaving him?

“Don’t thank me.” Levi said. “Truth is I was too busy shitting myself to think about making a break for it. So really, it’s a good thing for you that’s you’re such a scary sack of shit.”

Eren laughed, just a quiet little sound, and smiled.

“I’m still glad.”

“Where the fuck did you go anyway?” Levi wanted to turn the conversation, disliking the strange feeling he got when Eren acted like he experienced more emotions other than anger, lust, curiosity, and amusement. 

“I went and bought a little something for you. A present, of sorts.”

Leaning over Eren picked up the small box from the nightstand once more, opening it before his pet’s eyes with a grin as he asked.

“Don’t they look divine? I thought they would go well it your eyes and dark hair, wouldn’t you agree?”

Levi stared at the offering. He sighed.

Earrings.

Just when Levi thought that he and Eren were finally somewhere close to getting along for even a minute, Eren pulled shit like this. And then it was right back to hating on his dumb ass.

“Yeah, pretty. Too bad I can’t actually use them.” Levi answered dryly.

Unsurprisingly, Levi's ears were not pierced. It was a stupid gift, really. What in the world made Eren think that something like this would be a good idea?

The smirk Eren turned on him made the raven’s stomach turn. 

“Oh I already plan on fixing that, in fact…” Eren trailed off his head turning towards the door before the knock even sounded, cheerily calling for the person on the other side. To no surprise, it was the usual bushy browed blond, “Erwin here is going to give me a hand to help you appreciate this little gift.”

Levi then found himself being pulled from the bed by his wrist, led to the couch where Erwin was already preparing whatever horrid thing he had brought with him this time. 

Every muscle in Levi’s body was tense, skin jumping from time to time with the desire to squirm and escape. But he would find no such luck if he did give in to his instincts. Ironically, those self preservation urges would actually result in the opposite of what they were designed to achieve. Fighting back would mean punishment and with Eren’s fucked up mind, Levi wasn’t exactly eager to find out what else the demon could cook up. No, he had to force himself to remain sitting still in Eren’s lap as he watched Erwin mess with the tools sitting on the coffee table before the pair on the couch. 

“No need to fret, angel, it’s just a small prick. Well...two small pricks, but then it’ll all be over.” Eren cooed by Levi’s ear, tone sugar sweet. “Erwin’s skilled, after all, he knows the consequences should he mess up.” 

One of Eren’s arms came to wrap across the human’s waist just in case the lithe creature did decide to make a break for it. By this point, Eren knew to be doubly cautious.

Levi still had enough nerve to growl at him. “If it’s such a trivial matter, then why don’t  _ you  _ get some metal shoved through your head? If we’re lucky it might just reach your brain, though I’d imagine that’s far too small of a target.”

The insult was rewarded with a sharp nip to Levi’s throat making him hiss in pain, though the skin wasn’t broken.

How Eren managed to keep his razor-like teeth from slicing through his flesh, Levi did not know. Practice, probably. The thought made Levi want to shiver unpleasantly. However, besides the tattooing incident, Eren had yet to draw blood despite how often Levi’s attitude warranted harsh retribution. Instead bruises and raw skin were the results of punishments, along with the painful blows to Levi’s pride. 

“We could stick something through your tongue if you do not value it. Or perhaps something a little more sensitive?” Eren muttered against his pet’s throat, chuckling as he felt the flesh jump and fall under his lips as Levi harshly swallowed at the threat. 

Instead of offering anymore verbal protest or complaints, Levi stared ahead. He watched as Erwin placed a needle in the flame of a candle on the table, the thin strip of metal turning red with heat. 

Then the blond moved closer to the pair, though he ended up pausing as a growl rumbled out of Eren’s chest at his approach.

The arms around Levi tightened considerably, almost to the point of being painful. While Levi was unable to able to see the demon’s face in his current position, the former thug could easily imagine Eren’s lips being drawn back in a vicious snarl to match the feral sounds leaving his throat. Levi watched in confusion as Erwin turned his head to the side, his shoulders dropping as he visibly bared his neck to his master. 

_ Submissive. Vulnerable. _

The effect was instant and the growling quieted. Eren bit off the sound like it was nothing, loosening his hold on the raven ever so slightly. Levi felt Eren give a nod, the tip of one of his spiraling horns brushing through the black locks at the back of his head. 

Then Erwin reached out, gently gripping the lobe of Levi’s left ear. The contact only made the raven tense further; he knew what was coming. Levi didn’t exactly like the feeling of his flesh being mutilated with a sharp pinching pressure. Pain wasn’t anything new, but coming from the Underground where the smallest wound could spell death if infection set in, Levi was rightly anxious about allowing himself be injured. Particularly for such a nonsensical reason as to fit his bastard of a master’s aesthetic tastes. 

Levi wasn’t aware of Erwin pulling the needle out of his flesh, the dull ache of the piercing making the appendage numb as the blond set the stud in place. The earring was a simple design, silver in color and embedded with a dark sapphire. The little stone looked almost black until it caught the right light. Truly, it was very pretty.

Not something that Levi would have ever imagined himself donning, though.

Erwin repeated the process on the other ear and thankfully granted Levi respite, but to the surprise of both Erwin and Eren the smaller male had barely flinched. 

That didn’t mean that Levi wasn’t internally bitter about the whole experience as he watched Erwin set the tools away. The blond was prim and proper as always despite the fact that he was essentially helping a demon turn another human into a doll that he could dress up, altar, and play with as he pleased. With the addition of new tattoos and piercings being forced upon him already despite his recent arrival, Levi found himself worrying if he would even be able to recognize himself in the mirror in a month’s time. 

The thought made rage and frustration bubble just under his skin, the desire to lash out too strong to deny. There was an easy target in front of Levi as well, his voice coming out smooth and he called out.

“Erwin,” Levi called, and his tone should have given the blond at least some warning of what was coming but Erwin looked up without a hint of knowing in his blue eyes, “been meanin’ to ask you a question that’s been bothering me.”

The blond gave a curious hum in answer, gaze flicking up from his work and Eren squirmed under Levi, interested to see the two’s interaction. 

“Are you as hairy down below as you are up top?” Levi finished, raising an eyebrow at Erwin.

Silenced reigned after the words, hanging heavy in the air.

Erwin blinked, glancing at Eren.

The brunet was the first to break, letting out a loud gawf of laughter at Levi’s comment. Levi for his part only stared Erwin down, looking mighty smug for someone who was naked and all but being cuddled in place by a demon.

Erwin’s brows rose up and he opened his mouth to reply, but for possibly the first time...he had nothing to say.

The reaction, or rather the lack of one, only had Eren further in stitches. The demon’s mirth was unrestrained, loud and almost making Levi bounce off of his lap if it were not for Eren’s hold around him. If Levi had to suffer, then he wasn’t going to alone. No sir, he was spiteful enough to drag as many people down with him. 

A low sigh escaped from Erwin and he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to come to terms with what was happening to him. The previous pets had never made an effort to speak to Erwin more than absolutely was necessary, let alone harass him and attempt to drag him into verbal jousting. 

Erwin just didn’t know how to respond, especially while in the presence of Eren while in Levi’s company. It was usually a rule that Eren wanted the other servants to not interact with his current pet of choice, even more so because of the last….incident.

In fact this might have been the most laid back that Eren had seemed since then, Erwin realised.

Despite his show of nonchalance, Erwin knew the loss of his last pet had been a particularly sour blow. If only for the way it had happened.

But now the master of the house was smirking lazily at Erwin from behind Levi’s head, distracted and content. Eren's eyes shone with amusement and Erwin took that as encouragement to continue. The response he got from Eren would decide whether or not this interaction would be acceptable to proceed with in future. 

Leveling the raven with a mildly challenging look, Erwin replied. "Not all of us have the benefit of skipping puberty. I’m sure you must have been disappointed by the fact that you never started to grow."

Now it was Levi’s turn to have nothing to say, eyes widening in disbelief to have such a barb thrown his way. Or perhaps he'd honestly believed Erwin wouldn’t be up for the banter? Levi's brows pinched as he wracked his mind for a comeback. It felt like his brain suddenly slammed on the brakes when Levi felt an unusually warm hand moving over his thigh, Eren's fingers creeping upwards towards where the demon had been making himself far too familiar with in Levi’s opinion. 

Eren’s voice came out in a purr, “I, for one, appreciate this smooth skin.”

A claw tipped hand cupped Levi’s face to turn it, Levi’s vision filled with slitted teal orbs, almost cat-like in their scrutiny.

“This youthful face is nothing I can complain about either.” Eren said with a happy hum, his eyes flicking back to the blond. “Did you hear, Erwin? This little dear is already in his mid twenties, but he looks like a mere fledgling of a creature.”

Indeed, Levi did look quite young, but he was definitely an adult, his broad shoulders, aged eyes, and sharp jawline spoke to that. But that was only of more benefit to Eren.

If all went well, Eren planned to keep this pet for many years to come. Well...many being more than Levi was probably expecting. More than what his natural lifespan would have provided. Some demons had the power to infuse magic into the very beings of humans, preventing them from aging physically, and Eren found himself quite content with Levi’s current appearance. He dreaded watching his playthings and servants starting to wither and wrinkle. If he could prevent it, then why should he not? Humans were also an expensive commodity, it was best to… make them last by any means necessary. 

“Two on one seems awfully unfair.” Levi growled, feeling suddenly very exposed in his bare state with Eren getting more handsy.

Eren clicked his tongue, pressing a searing kiss to his pet’s throat. “Oh, dear, I’m not taking sides at all, after all this is the most entertainment I’ve had in centuries. Far better than any boring play, though those do have more bloodshed usually.”

Levi decided to not ask for more information about the subject, nope, better not to touch it with a ten foot pole. 

A hiss gathered the trio’s attention, heads turning to look towards the chandeliers above them. The many enchanted candles sitting upon the rungs of metal and crystal flickered to life even as they watched, and it was then that they noticed how dark the world had become outside of the windows.

Erwin cast a glance at the door. “I shall go and make sure that dinner preparations are on their way, Sir.”

Receiving a nod of approval, Erwin once again retreated from the room, leaving Levi and Eren alone.

A nuzzle against Levi’s cheek had the human hissing and squirming. The sudden agitation startled Eren and he paused, the demon drawing his head back in alarm. The brunet made a little confused sound, unsure of what he could have done to upset his little one now. 

“My ear fucking hurts,” Levi grumbled, attempting to shove Eren’s face even further away, “I don’t need you bonking your huge ass horns against it.” 

“Aw, forgive me, I forgot how tender such a thing could make you creatures. I could still kiss it better if you wish.”

“And risk getting a bite taken out of it, no thanks.”

“You have such little faith in me.” Eren whined, a pout clear in his voice as trailed his palms up and down Levi’s thighs soothingly. 

It had the opposite effect however as Levi tensed further in his hold.

“I don’t think we need a third fucking shower today.” 

Eren hummed his amusement. “I wouldn’t mind.” 

Levi groaned in disbelief. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we are new chapter and we finally get a hint of what Petra's been up to, the next chapter we will cover more about what she endured. 
> 
> There's a blossoming 'friendship' if you can call it that between Levi and Erwin, while its two steps forward and three steps back with Eren's relationship.  
> Hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> Please leave a comment, you all have been so supportive of our work so far and thank you so much for that!


	9. To The Hellhounds

_ The first day... _

Consciousness came like a slap to the face, jolting Petra out of an unnaturally deep slumber. She jerked upright, only to find that there was only so far forward that she could go.

Eyes wide, Petra found that she was bound by her wrists to the end of a wooden bed frame. Chained, trapped. Still clothed, by some miracle...although the garments she wore were unfamiliar. Her mind was accosted with various unpleasant realities. Though Levi had been the one taken for the role of a pleasure slave, things weren’t looking so good on Petra’s end either.

“No need to look so spooked.” A voice said. “This is your room, whatever anxious little thoughts are rattling around in that head of yours can be put to rest.”

Petra wasn't surprised to discover that she was not alone. She found the owner of the voice standing in the doorway. The man had ashen hair and a face that seemed weathered despite the youthful voice. Petra stared hard at the stranger, feeling like she’d seen his face before but she couldn’t for the life of her recall his name.

“Oh.” Petra said, voice hardened. “So I’m just chained here for no reason?”

“After that little stunt at the gates?” The man said with a tsk. “There’s no way we’d leave you unattended to roam free and try a second escape attempt the moment you woke. Not that you’d have slipped past my guard.” He added, puffing up proudly.

“And you are?” Petra had to ask.

That got him to deflate a little. “Oluo.” He supplied.

Petra resisted the urge to roll her eyes, choosing instead to take stock of herself.

Her clothing,  both her familiar uniform and the clothing she was stuffed into for the auction , was missing, replaced with a simple cotton gown.

“I suppose it was also you who changed my garments?” Petra asked, her voice calm enough but a steely anger in her eyes.

Oluo sputtered. “N-No! I was tasked only to keep an eye on you. It was Marco who was in charge of changing you, and only after the necessary measurements were taken for your staff uniform to be made. But in any case, I think you will find that modesty takes on a different meaning in these lands.” He huffed. “None of us stayed shy for very long.”

The comment wasn’t surprising, but Petra shuddered anyway.

She doubted that anything would be normal here.

“Well I’m up now.” Petra said, jangling her chains for good measure. “Let’s get this over with, what am I supposed to be doing now?”

Oluo looked uncomfortable all of a sudden. “I’m just charged with standing guard for the moment. You’re scheduled for instruction on your duties after the master is satisfied with your punishment.”

“My what?” Petra frowned.

“You tried to escape.” Oluo said again, looking somewhat sympathetic. “Lord Jaeger isn’t likely to let that pass without at least some form of discipline.”

“No indeed.” Said another voice.

Petra jumped as a figure appeared in the doorway behind Oluo, the man half-tripping out of the newcomer’s way. The ashen-haired man gave a sloppy bow.

“Master Jaeger.” He greeted. “She’s awake and talking, Sir.”

“Yes, I can see that for myself. Good work, Oluo. Be a darling and make sure the stables are closed up. I can take it from here.”

“Sir.” Oluo murmured, scuttling out of the door and off down the hall to who knew where.

And then it was just Petra and this intimidating newcomer. The master of the house.

A demon, Petra knew  even without the animalistic additions his body held. It was obvious in the predatory charm this creature possessed, all friendly smiles and poisonous eyes.

“Petra.” The demon greeted her with a nod. “I am your master. My friends call me Eren,” he said, smile fading into something eerie, “though sadly, we are not friends, Petra. No, dear me, no. You see…you almost cost me my little one. Putting ideas of escape into his head, how very bold of you. But ultimately, very foolish.”

Petra frowned, confused. “It was a two-part effort, you do realise?”

Eren smiled at her, indeed he didn’t seem to have ever stopped smiling completely. Only his eyes changed, and it was the quiet anger there that had Petra’s skin crawling. This demon was mad. And yet he forced himself to appear so calm. Almost friendly, chatting away like they were old chums while his gaze promised a world of hurt.

“Had it not been for your presence, my Levi might never have got it into his head to try and run. And if that had been the case, he wouldn’t be sporting the nasty bruise he is now.” Eren paused to give Petra a moment to think on his words, that permanent smile of his taking on a wry quality. “So you can see why I might be a little… _ put out _ with you.”

Petra swallowed. “Just with me?”

“I know it must seem unfair,” Eren admitted, hands in the air in a gesture that might have been an attempt to pacify her, “but you see Levi will have his own fair share of punishment. Can’t go around letting every little upstart have their way, now can we?”

Eren paced closer then, smile vanishing into something blank and frankly more disturbing than if he had been grinning.

The brunet stooped to crouch, leaning in close.

“But  _ you _ .” Eren uttered, close enough that his eyes made up most of Petra’s vision. “I want you to know just how stuck you are. All that spirit you brought with you must make you think there’s some hope of fleeing. And that is a very  _ dangerous _ idea. So before you can get any more invested in thoughts of escape,” Eren paused, straightening and striding for the door. He glanced back over his shoulder in the doorway, “I’d like to show you something in the stables.”

With a brief flick of his fingers, the chains binding Petra’s wrists vanished as if they had never been. She watched the waiting demon warily.

“Come.” Eren commanded simply, and strode from the room.

Petra didn’t even have the time to consider rebelling or making a run for it, for she found her legs scrambling to get beneath her. Without knowing how exactly, Petra was standing and stumbling along after the demon.

Eren stalked on ahead, hands folded behind his back. He never looked behind him to check if Petra was following, absolutely sure that his word would be obeyed. And really, Petra found that she didn’t have the choice to disobey. Every time she tried to wander off to one side or the other, her feet steered her straight again. Petra found she couldn’t run, she couldn’t stop or slow or speed up. Her pace remained constant no matter what she desired.

Out of the building she’d woken in, Petra managed to glance around.

There was a much larger building close by, the manor. So then Petra figured she must have been in some servant’s wing or separate cottage, for Oluo had told her that she had a room there now.

She wondered if Levi got his own room? Or did he have to share one…with this fiendish creature before her?

Eren walked at a brisk pace along a path made of stone pavers, past the manor to the back of the estate. There were a great many trees around, though they all appeared to be dead – lacking leaves and with blackened boughs stretching out as though burned long ago. Perhaps no trees could grow in this place? But no, there had been gardens had there not?

Who even knew how the demon lands worked?

Finally Eren headed for a large building behind the manor, something Petra easily recognised as a stable.

What kinds of creatures would be tethered up inside, Petra wondered?

She didn’t get the chance to ask before Eren stopped, greeted by one of the staff out front of the stable.

Oluo looked nervous, or perhaps guilty.

“All ready?” Eren asked the fidgeting man.

“Yes, Sir.” Oluo nodded. “I cleared out the end stall.”

“By the hounds?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“And have they been fed today?”

“No, Sir.”

“Perfect. Then lead the way.”

Oluo opened one of the great double door, which had been pushed closed for some reason. It was gloomy inside, but Petra could still see even after the door was pulled shut again behind them once they marched through.

Eren strolled casually along, all the way to the far end of the building.

Petra couldn’t help but look around, head whipping this way and that at the various ghastly sounds that stirred at their arrival. The stalls were mostly in shadow, but Petra caught a few silhouettes. Horses that appeared to be made of bone with leathery wings, a bird that set itself ablaze even as Petra stared at it, some awful mix of a dog and a goat but larger than both. It bleated at her in passing, as if to say hello.

Or welcome to hell, more like.

And finally, at the end, the same creatures that had pulled the carriage that had brought Petra here.

Hellhounds. Probably bigger than the horses, these dogs were garish to look at. Built like wolves but with far too many teeth, some with too many eyes. Just seeing Petra had the beasts howling.

Petra’s steps halted, her fear overriding the command to follow.

Eren’s head turned just slightly in her direction the moment she paused, as if sensing that she had control of her faculties once more. She could have sworn that he smiled.

“Won’t you come and meet my precious puppies?” Eren cooed, turning as if to face her though his eyes remained on the hounds snapping in their stall. He looked a little manic. “You humans are all about your pets, aren’t you?”

As far as Petra was concerned, Eren didn’t have much room to talk. Though perhaps that was what demons liked about having humans for pets so much? The fact that it mocked how humans kept animals, had them house trained and doing tricks? All of a sudden Petra felt a whole lot worse about her predicament. She knew immediately that there would be no room for pride here.

“You don’t want to meet the pretty pooches?” Eren asked, and this time he was looking at her.

There was a terrible light in his eyes.

“The far stall,” Eren said, voice audible over the tussling hounds, “why don’t you head on in there?”

That unpleasant pull was back, the urge to do as Eren instructed pushing into Petra’s mind. This time she fought it. Her feet still moved, but slowly. Eren’s eyes lit up and before she knew it, Petra found herself staring at Eren from within the far stall. It was deathly quiet in the stable all of a sudden and she didn’t dare look to the side. Would the hounds be there? Watching her? All that separated them were a few measly bars.

“Close the door.” Eren said, amused when Petra glared but obeyed against her will. The brunet inclined his head in Oluo’s direction, though his eyes remained on Petra. “The locks, if you would.”

“Yes, Sir.” Oluo said, and it was the most reluctant that Petra had seen him yet.

But he still locked her in there.

“One little thing about hellhounds,” Eren began, not quite smiling, “they never forget a scent. Once they know you, they can find you anywhere over any distance. And they tend to go into a frenzy around humans. Some kind of bloodlust. If I ever have to set these beasts after you, know that it won’t be so that they can return you to me. Disloyalty earns you only one thing around here: a one way ticket to becoming dog chow. Think on that, little girl.”

Eren placed a hand on Oluo’s shoulder, a wide grin splitting his face.

“Pleasant dreams, Petra.” He said, glancing at the silent hounds. “If you can reach her, she’s all yours.”

With a flash, both demon and servant were gone.

Even as Petra’s eyes adjusted from the sudden flare of light from the teleportation of her master, the air split with rabid howls. So loud, she was forced to cover her ears.

Petra threw herself away from the noise, flattening herself as best she could against the far wall. Finally she forced herself to look at the stall next to hers. Gigantic paws scratched and scrabbled against the bars separating them, trying to shove through and swipe. Wicked claws sought to snag on her clothing, her flesh, anything that would give enough purchase to drag her over where the snapping muzzles could reach. The hounds’ heads didn’t fit through the bars, but that didn’t stop them from spitting fury and trying to gnaw their way through the metal to get her.

While the hounds’ stall was decently sized to fit all of them, Petra found that hers was miniscule. The paws pushing through the bars could almost reach her.

Every few moments she was forced to move, to shift.

In the end, she had to stand up. It was the only way to remain out of reach. Though…how long could she remain like that? Standing and waiting in the dark, with nothing but the din of thunderous growling and snapping jaws to fill her ears. If she lost her balance, if she fell forward, they would have her. She would be torn to shreds. Her life would end as a pile of viscera, unrecognisable and wretched.

It was with those terrible thoughts in mind that Petra settled in for the long night ahead.

Who even knew if she would make it till the morning?

_ The second day... _

When the first pale light of morning did worm its way through the shutters of the stable, Petra was still clinging to consciousness. Even now after so many hours had passed, any mistake in her posture could spell her doom. Her eyelids felt heavy, but the clang of the hellhounds throwing themselves at the bars granted her no respite. Honestly, the beasts’ noisy nature was keeping them from obtaining their prize for Petra felt that once there was a moment of peace she would fall into the oblivion of darkness that was sleep despite the danger she was in. 

Then the most blessed sound Petra had heard in her entire existence. The heavy creak of wood and metal sliding heavily against one another. More light flooded into the barn and with it came a blast of chilly air, but Petra welcomed it all the same as it meant someone was there. That rescue might finally come. 

The sound of two sets of boots clicked across the stone floor, the animals seeming to be excited by whomever it was as distorted knickers, howls, and other grotesque noises sounded in greeting to whomever…  _ whatever _ , was making its way closer to her stall. 

“Back pups, the time limit’s up, sorry, no human meat on the menu today.” The words were rushed, but sweet. Like the person, a male, was talking to the cutest puppies in existence, baby voice and all. 

It had the same effect all the same as the hounds huffed and trotted away from the bars to instead spend their time snapping and growling at their packmates. One set of footsteps then seemed to disappear, but a shadow still stood in front of her stall.

Only then did the door slide open revealing a relieved looking Oluo. The ashen haired servant hurrying inside and taking in her exhausted state. His hands fretted near her shoulders, not quite touching yet as he frowned. Finally he seemed to make a decision, rushing back out of the stall and returning a moment later with a large worn blanket. 

He wrapped it around the smaller human’s frame and gently scooped her up into his arms. In any other situation, Petra would surely have slapped him for such a thing. Instead, she only let out a small groan as the servant carried her out into the main walkway of the barn, where Oluo set her down on a large pile of fresh hay. 

“I’m glad to see you survived, I apologize though, there was nothing that I could do that would have helped more than I did.” 

“And what the fuck  _ did _ you do?” Petra’s voice was scratchy, her throat dry and she fought to stay awake, not wanting to fall asleep in front of this spinless servant and appear weak. 

“I…” Oluo trailed off, his eyes flicked about the barn cautiously to make sure that there was nothing hiding in the shadows, or at least no more things than there should be. 

“I fed the hounds some before you were brought by the lord.” 

“You lied to him?”

Oluo didn’t respond to the question, instead turning his back to her and starting on his chores, pulling some ropes to open the outside facing doors of the stalls to let the large variety of beasts to escape out into their outdoor enclosures for some exercise. 

“Try to get some rest, I’ll finish my tasks and then we’ll have to return to the servant house. There you can bathe, eat, and be the instructed on what tasks you will have to perform here.”

Petra frowned at the dismissal of her question, but at the same time, she was grateful. 

It made her life easier, to not think of these people who willingly served beasts too deeply… But that was far easier said than done. Oluo had risked the wrath of his master and also saved her life. If last night was how the hell hounds acted after already being fed… if they were truly hungry those bars probably would not have saved her. 

Her eyelids were too heavy to keep open any longer, but a hand on her shoulder roused her far too soon. Her vision slowly clearing to see Oluo standing above her, it was then that she realized where she had seen the man’s face before. 

This was the servant that had been driving the carriage the day before, the one that she and Levi had knocked out in their attempt to flee the grounds. 

Motioning her to get up and follow, Petra forced herself to reluctantly do so, leaving the blanket behind she shivered from the bite of the cold. The temperature bitterly stinging in demon lands it was a wonder how the flowers they passed in the gardens grew. 

It was probably the result of some bullshit demon magic, turning nature on its head in such a way was something that the fiends no doubt delighted in. 

Still she followed Oluo without a word, entering the servant’s house once more, it looked deceptively…. 

Normal. 

It was two stories and apparently housed all of Lord Jaeger’s servants, that is except for Levi whom apparently wasn’t thought of as a servant, but a pet according to her rescuer. There was a single large washroom where both Oluo and herself had to clean up. 

The man had been serious about the fact that there was no place for modesty here as when he opened the door for the two of them, Petra was greeted with the sight of a very naked man standing under one of the spouts working a lather through his dark hair. He only spared the two newcomers a glance before continuing with his shower. 

Petra was a soldier, she was used to bathing with others, but the barracks were still separated by gender. She refused to be bothered by the sight of some dicks, though her cheeks tinged red without her permission.

Pride, modesty, morals, and social expectations were things that she would have to abandon to survive with most of her dignity intact. 

However, as she continued to wash, she realized that there was something that she did enjoy about this strange set up. After taking a bar of soap from Oluo when he offered it, she noticed that the two other servants in the shower room didn’t leer at her nor did they make any disgusting comments about her gender or appearance. 

These servants were united in a way far different than the members of the military. They were respectful and seemed to have each other’s backs to an extreme level if Oluo’s slight betrayal was any hint to that. 

They were simply trying to survive in this fucked up world, then again, the loss of one staff member would no doubt double the amount of work for the humans left behind. More work meant more chances for mistakes to be made, which could spell disaster for the entire house.

Petra watched the two from the corner of her eyes, now noticing the dark marks that blossomed across the backs of Oluo’s knees and the upper portion of his calves. Those bruises were from her kicking him the day before, guilt gnawed at her, but she forced it away. No one could truly blame her for trying to obtain her freedom or her life, could they?

Oluo didn’t seemed to at least as he finished up his shower and handed another towel to Petra before he took out a fresh uniform from one of the many dressers in the small dressing room sitting before the shower room.

Apparently, each of the servants had their own dresser to store their clothes there, as inside of the bedrooms there was only a bed and a small chest for the few very personal belongings that each servant had. Petra of course, had no such prizes as a fresh slave that had everything ripped from her during the harvest and following auction.

Another servant, a blond with his long hair pulled into a bun brought a paper wrapped package to the girl as Oluo finished changing. Her own uniform sitting inside, the sight of it making her grimace, which made Eld, she learned later, roll his eyes.

“There are far worse outfits that you could be forced to wear, trust me. It’ll feel stiff at first, but you’ll break it in after a few days.”

Glumly she nodded her head, sliding on the dark green slacks first, blinking in surprise at how the fit was perfect before grimacing as she remembered the fact that she was apparently measured in her sleep by the half demon servant.

Next came a white button-up shirt and then over top of that sat a double-breasted jacket that was edged with silver fabric. The cloth felt of be of high quality, breathable, but also warm. It seemed to be made to be comfortable for all seasons. It probably had to be with the fact that this seemed to be the only outfit she had seen the servants dressed in so far.

The cuffs on the sleeves and the buttons across the front were freshly polished and silver in color. On each of these sat an emblem. The raised design stood proud on the metal and it was easy for her to pick it apart. A set of feathery wings fanning out from a set of weirdly double jointed, jagged toothed jaws. They looked… hungry and her mind was filled with images of blood.

She shook her head hoping to dislodge the gruesome pictures conjured up by her imagination before they could take root.

Glancing to the side she was surprised to see Oluo and Gunter sitting before a set of large mirrors, under which sat a long counter covered in jars, brushes, and other little tools that Petra thought were much more adequate sitting in some noble woman’s house than here.

A nudge to her back from Eld and she forced her feet to move towards an open seat next to the other two men. When the blond man pulled a comb gently through her strawberry blond hair she grumbled.

“This all seems highly unnecessary.”

“It’s not for our vanity, but our own safety that we do this.” Gunter answered, wincing as he apparently got a rougher tug than he was expecting to his own dark locks from Oluo.

“There’s only one purpose that ugly humans serve in demon lands and that is as meat.” Eld explained as he continued his work on one of the newest members of the Jaeger household. A glance around the room confirmed his words as Petra couldn’t argue the fact that the men were rather good looking, she wondered if she had been saved from the dinner table from her looks alone then.

“You really are lucky to have been chosen by the lord as well, he had only gone to the market to purchase a new pleasure slave.” Eld muttered as he applied some blush to the girl’s naturally rosy cheeks.

“Forgive me for not exactly having the same sentiments.”

“You’re a beautiful young woman, which is unfortunate.” Oluo noted, immediately paling at the look that was sent his way from Petra and he ended up waving the brush he was holding as he tried to obviously save his hide from an exhausted, grumpy, fully trained soldier. “I mean, your fate would have been a lot worse if the lord hadn’t purchased you. Usually there are only two fates for pretty females, eith-“

Whatever he was going to say got cut off as he got an elbow in the ribs from Gunter and ended up biting his tongue as a result.

Burnt honey colored eyes narrowed, she refused to be content with being left in the dark, she wanted to completely understand the fucked-up mess she had landed in. “No, tell me what would have happened. You want me to play housewife willingly, you should tell me what exactly I should fear. Is there something worse than living as a complacent slave to some beast that threatened to serve me alive to hellhounds?”

The trio shared a look, Oluo still holding a hand over his mouth in an obvious attempt to keep any blood for leaking past his lips. It was Gunter that decided to inform Petra of the horrors that ran much deeper in reality than in the little bedtime stories had said occurred in demon lands to keep naughty children behaving.

“You would have either been sold as a pleasure slave to another high-ranking demon or… been sold to a farm.”

“A farm?”

“Yeah, though the only livestock are humans.” Eld clarified, taking over the explanation as he started to straighten his own hair after he finished with Petra’s, “You’d basically be reduced into a breeding bitch, forced to pump out as many children as you can with any human that they think would create a mix of genes that would result in a good-looking child that will be sold into slavery as soon as possible.”

Petra was silent for a moment, just sitting before the mirror as the situation slowly settled itself across her shoulders and no matter how she twisted or turned, she wouldn’t be able to dislodge it. Her thin brows pinching together as she wondered why the hell Eren had purchased her if he had only been interested in buying a single pleasure slave. 

The demon had seen the raven in the private viewing room which meant he must have already decided to buy Levi before the auction even began. Petra had been hustled into the corral before it was Levi’s turn, so he could have just let her pass on by and saved more of his money (or whatever was traded in these lands) for his bid on the human he truly wanted.

It wasn’t like she was eager to walk up to Eren and demand an answer anytime soon, she would be far happier to never see that grinning face again. Sadly, that seemed to be impossible considering she was to serve him.

But Petra now felt that she understood the staff better now, there were things far worse than death that could be inflicted upon them if their master saw fit.

Left to ruminate on that fact she followed the other servants out of the dressing room, the trio of men led her to a room that acted both as a kitchen and a dining room. Erwin, the only servant whose name she remembered without prompting, was standing at the sink, a small ornate box on the counter by his side. As she slid past the blond to sit at the table like she was instructed, she took a quick glance at what the other might be cleaning. Seeing that the water glancing off the long needle looking tool was running black.

Deciding not to question it she sat in the chair at the small table on one end of the room. Looking down at the plate of food sat before her by Eld, she soon found herself left alone with Erwin, the rest of the staff having to take staggered lunches to make sure a few of the servants were on hand in the manor, in the case that they were needed by Eren.

Thinking back to Erwin’s warning during the carriage ride she remembered the only rule regarding food was that she wasn’t supposed to eat in the presence of the demon. With that in mind she ate, trying to work past the queasy feeling she had since her brush with death. She would need her energy for whatever was thrown at her next.

Finally, Erwin seemed satisfied with the results of his cleaning, he set the tools in the draining rack before making his way to sit across the table from Petra with his own food.

“Good afternoon.”

Her look said all she needed to about the greeting, but Erwin didn’t seem to take offense to it as he took a sip of what smelled like coffee from his mug.

“Now that we have more time and all the… unpleasantness is over, I’m going to explain your role in more detail.” Erwin began.

“By all means, go right ahead.” Petra muttered dryly, taking another bite of a roll.

“Despite not knowing each other before the harvest, you and he are very similar.” Erwin’s tone was equal parts worried, amused, and frustrated. Neither of the two needed to say who the blond was referring to. Levi and Petra might look like delicious pieces of meat to demons, but they held enough spice and salt to make the consumer wary.

The blond human rubbed at his brow as he decided to press on, “It’s been decided that with your old highly physically demanding life, your main role will be to tend to the gardens with Gunter. He’ll show you how to clean the fountains, trim branches, and care for the plants. Any free time after you finish these tasks for the day will be spent helping the other members of the staff with their chores, which can be anything from cleaning, cooking, or anything that is needed.”

Well, that fucking sucked, but for the moment she could do nothing about her situation immediately. But Petra refused to let herself fall into a depression, no she needed to focus on something new, something that could potentially help her escape in the future. The more knowledge she collected, the higher her chances. 

“So, what does the lord do when he’s not fucking with Levi?” 

Petra immediately grimaced as she realized how literal those words were and Erwin snorted into his coffee, which left him coughing in shock at the words. 

The two stared at each other for a few moments longer before Erwin cleared his throat, “Well, first of all, you can no longer call him by that name. We are now to call your companion ‘ Kleiner Giftzahn ’, meaning ‘Little Fang’.  Eren wants to keep the staff and his pet separated in as many ways as possible. As such, he is the only one that can say his new toy’s name.”

Erwin continued to power through his explanations after taking another bite of his food, further proving to Petra that the fate of his fellow human being didn’t bother him too much. The blond couldn’t afford to if he wanted to keep sane. 

“I told you that your new life is a game, remember? The sentiment is not limited to humans, demons are also wrapped up in their own warped and twisted activites. Power, blood, safety, and alliances are all things that they balance and disregard as they please. Demons grow more powerful with the more blood and death they bring about. Eren is already from an incredibly powerful and notorious bloodline of demons. However when not occupied, as you so eloquently put it, he often goes hunting outside of his lands for worthy opponents to battle. Our Lord is far from lazy, though he plays at being the overconfident fool quite well.  Most of the Lord’s time is taken up wandering various unclaimed lands, slaughtering the packs of low level demons that often crowd about in the more overpopulated areas of the demon lands. Master Jaeger has gained quite the renown as a…”

“Demon slayer.” Petra finished for the blond, shaking her head in disbelief before blowing on the steaming cup of tea in her hands. “How ironic.”

“Indeed.” Erwin agreed wholeheartedly. “Eren also regularly visits neighbouring demons and allies, to strengthen ties and ensure loyalty. Keeping a close eye on them to make sure betrayal is not stewing is also well advised. Every few weeks Master Jaeger attends scheduled celebrations with allied or neutral demons, networking as it were. He’s interested in the walls that surrounded your old home, but to my knowledge, he’s never entered them. Lord Arlert on the other hand…”

An exasperated sigh escaped from Erwin at having to even speak the blond demon’s name, much to Petra’s amusement.

“He goes looting old human lands from time to time. I suspect that he often sneaks into current human territory to steal trinkets and to observe the society that your kind had concocted.”

“ _ Your _ kind?” 

“Make no mistake, I am just as human as yourself, but we come from worlds that are vastly different. I was born in these lands and grew up never experiencing the false freedom that you have. The only place that humanity has now is in cages, your previous one was just far larger than my own has ever been. I honestly envy you and  Kleiner Giftzahn . However, dwelling on the ‘what ifs’ might get you killed here.” Erwin elaborated before standing, collecting both of their dishes now that they had finished their meals. 

In truth, Erwin was many decades older than he appeared, kept young by magic to secure his continued service. He had been but a child when he had been traded to Eren, he had seen the comings and… goings of all of his master’s pets and servants. 

But he didn’t inform Petra of this, no, he didn’t want to shock her with all this new information at once. He needed only for her to survive and hopefully come to somewhat enjoy this new life somewhat. 

Despite Erwin’s dismissal of Petra’s old life, she sensed that it was forced, that underneath that calm, aloof exterior Erwin was dying to pelt her questions about what the life he had never had a chance for was like. Petra didn’t doubt that Erwin would have been a force to reckon with if he had been born inside of the walls, his logic, intelligence, and focus on what needed to be done despite the cost, spoke of someone who would have rose in the ranks of the military. 

If he had grown up with a sense of morals and justice, maybe Erwin would have been the type to foolishly try to have humanity rise up against the demons. 

But like Erwin had said, Petra couldn’t let herself be consumed by the future of that could have been. Instead she stood up silently and followed Erwin when prompted, making their way out to the entrance of the servant’s house the blond told Petra to wait a moment. He disappeared into one of the many rooms and when he returned it seemed that he was trying to hide something in his hands.

Before Petra could question it, something was wrapped snug around her throat. Instantly she clawed at the thing, glaring at the blond as she struggled to get it off, wincing as she realized whatever it was felt like leather under her fingers. 

A horrifying thought came to her mind and she turned to the mirror that sat above the entry table. 

A collar. 

The same fucking collar that was wrapped around Erwin’s and the rest of the staff’s throats.

The strip of leather, wasn’t heavy or uncomfortable, but what it meant sickened her. The collar rested around her neck almost like a second skin, barely she was able to work a finger between the flesh of her throat and the material. It was tight, but for now it didn’t restrict her breathing. Desperately she searched for some kind of clasp or latch that would grant her flight from the terrible thing. 

Petra had no such luck however, there was no such device, no, to her disbelief there didn’t even appear to be seams in the collar. Instead just a single strip of intact leather with no beginning or end. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to get a pair of scissors or a knife under the piece without risking ripping her own throat out. 

From the center of it hung a small shield shaped pendant which held that same crest as the buttons on her uniform. It didn’t take a genius to figure out this is what marked her as Eren’s property. 

“My apologies, but this is to ensure that you don’t make another escape attempt.”

“How so?”

“If you try to leave our master’s property without his permission the collar will start to constrict, the further you move away, the tighter it will become. At two hundred and fifty meters, you will be strangled to death. If the collar is about to tear it will ignite.”

“He doesn’t think the threat of being dog food is enough?” Petra muttered, finally dropping her hands from the collar with a sigh of defeat. Demeaning as it was, Eren could have concocted up something more awful than this.

“It’s a precaution, we all wear the same one. Kleiner Giftzahn will have his own specially made collar in the future, but its effects will no doubt be different.”

“Right, causing permanent disfigurement via burns probably isn’t something the master would want.”

Erwin handed Petra a pair of new boots instead of answering, leading her then to the gardens where Gunter knelt before what looked to be a large rose bush, though the petals of these flowers were mostly white and appeared to be dotted and striped with dark red. While it was something that was brought about by nature, Petra couldn’t be think that the blossoms came across as looking like they were splattered with fresh blood. 

Hopefully her blood wasn’t going to be used to further paint the roses red. 

“We’ll start out slow, I’ll just show you how to look for weeds and how to remove them today.” Gunter explained as he handed her a pair of thick leather gloves. Seeing her look of confusion, the raven haired man laughed while Erwin quickly excused himself to head back inside of the manor.

“The little devils can be feisty.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’ll see. Come look here at this little weed under the bush.”

Petra heeded the instruction, kneeling down to look under the mass of leaves and thorns. The weed was indeed small, a little sprig that had only four long leaves sprouting out of the stalk. 

“Now you need to pinch the base of the plant and move it from side to side while pulling at an angle away from yourself.” 

Unsure of why the directions were so specific, the former soldier thought it wise to obey them, and honestly she was instantly glad she did.

As soon as her fingers wrapped around the plant, the thing  _ moved _ . 

Or a more accurate word would be  _ attacked _ . 

The leaves wrapped around her hand, and before her eyes small barbs appeared out of the foliage. However, the glove prevented them from actually breaking into her skin. There was a new gleam on the leather that came from moisture, the little thorns leaking some kind of substance as the leaves squirmed around her hand in an attempt to find something to pierce into. 

Encouraged by Gunter behind her, Petra pulled the apparently demonic plant from the earth. The roots were longer than she expected and a hundred times more wiggly as they swayed and twisted upon themselves in an attempt to find an anchor.

Then the whole thing went limp and Petra let out a sigh of relief, only to flinch as the plant jolted back to life again and started to wriggle once more in her grip. 

“Careful, they like to play dead on you.” Gunter explained as he brought over a large metal bin opening the lid just slightly, Petra got the hint and threw the weed inside before Gunter slammed the heavy lid closed once more. 

“By the way, don’t touch your glove with your bare skin, that poison they excrete is hellishly itchy.”

“Was that a joke?”

“Trust me, Oluo’s puns are far more awful.” 

Petra couldn’t help herself, cracking a smile despite the absurdity of it all. The two falling into a rhythm of pulling weeds, at first working together until Gunter thought that Petra understood well enough what she was doing to be left unsupervised. While they had been working together Gunter had pointed out a few of the rooms of the manor from the outside and when the male servant’s eyes were finally off of her, Petra’s own gaze turned towards the small balcony and set of windows that were apparently attached to the lord’s personal quarters. 

She tried to keep focused on her task, honestly she did. But every few minutes would find herself looking back towards the balcony. If Petra had been put through such an awful experience, she could only imagine how much more loathsome Levi’s must be. 

Was he still alive even? Would she be told if he did end up butchered by a horny, deranged demon? 

The worry and thought was all consuming until she couldn’t take it any more. She needed answers, Petra just hoped it didn’t cost her life. Grabbing hold of a vine that ran up the side of the manor, she was pleased to find it didn’t come to life and try to attack her. Then she started to hoist her way up, determination fueling her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My, Eren's is a dastardly fellow, but he is a demon who has been doing what he has been for centuries following the example of others around him. Will he eventually have a change of heart, if he still has one? A lot more has to go into the works before Eren learns anything, just have to hope the rest of the staff and Levi survive until then. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the chapter and learning more of the lore about this world. Your comments have always been so kind, so thank you guys for your patience!


	10. Offering Tender

“My ear fucking hurts,” Levi grumbled, attempting to shove Eren’s face even further away, “I don’t need you bonking your huge ass horns against it.”

Eren didn’t seem nearly as concerned with the proximity, smirking against the palm that landed over his face. Levi’s shoving couldn’t have moved him at all if Eren didn’t allow it, but for the sake of not raising the raven’s ire too much Eren let Levi have his space. Even if only a tiny bit.

His tongue curled out to play with Levi’s fingers, mouth turning up in a grin at the raven’s hiss of disgust.

“And you can keep that slimy thing to yourself, too.” Levi grumbled. “It’s bad enough that you’ve stuck me with needles for no good reason, I  _ refuse _ to be salivated on.”

Eren couldn’t help but snicker at Levi’s pursed lips, his silent fuming a source of amusement to the demon. His tongue flicked out, elongating just enough to reach Levi’s chin. The raven hiss, snatching hold of the invasive muscle with surprising speed. His grey gaze was alight, furious and deadly, and he yanked on Eren’s tongue in reprimand that only served to make Eren whine like a favoured hound.

“Keep your filthy tongue where it belongs.” Levi said with venom, close to Eren’s face as he released the wriggling appendage. “Behind closed lips, cretin.”

“I’d say it belongs somewhere else entirely.” Eren mused, his eyes wandering thoughtfully down the raven’s form.

When Levi’s gaze grew only more venomous, Eren couldn’t help but laugh.

“Forgive me,” Eren cooed with false sweetness, eyeing the raven’s agitated lobes, “I forgot how tender such a thing could make you creatures.” His gaze flickered up to Levi’s eyes, meeting the unimpressed glower with glowing fondness. “I could still kiss it better if you wish?”

Unsurprisingly, Levi turned his offer down flat.

“And risk you taking a bite while you’re at it?” Levi sneered. “No thank you.”

The raven turned his head away sharply, glaring off to one side as his thoughts rolled ominously.

Eren could only imagine what his little Omega was thinking. The specificities of Levi’s mind were lost on Eren without delving into the raven’s mind, but the basics were not hard to guess. Betrayal, obviously. Various schemes of murder, escape, revenge. What hateful plans did Levi have in mind, Eren wondered? What suffering would he have Eren endure for daring to keep him prisoner like this? There wasn’t much that Levi’s mind could come up with that would be able to do much harm at all to the demon. Eren healed quicker than most.

It was injuring him at all that was the real challenge.

Though if anyone could take him off-guard, it would be Levi. Eren had a nasty and growing habit of letting his guard down around the raven, though that could be blamed on Levi’s Omegan status.

He just smelled so sweet, the raven’s scent all but spelled out vulnerable.

In his own world, Levi was nothing of the sort. But it rang terribly true in Eren’s domain.

“Silly thing,” Eren hummed, hands wandering, “if I was going to bite you at all, you would know about it first.” He smiled, lips finding Levi’s neck and grazing the skin there, seeking out the thus-far dormant glands. “Anticipation is half the fun.” He murmured, lips parting to press the threat of teeth against that pale throat, feeling Levi grow carefully tense. Just as easily, Eren let the threat fall away and pressed a kiss to Levi’s scruff instead. “But I can be gentle, too.”

Levi quickly leaned away from Eren’s mouth, uncaring in the face of the demon’s affection.

Eren huffed, resting his chin on Levi’s shoulder. “You have such little faith in me.” He grumbled.

Levi cast a dry glance in the brunet’s direction, finding Eren’s lips pushed into a sulking pout. But Levi wasn’t fooled. Eren may pout, but that didn’t mean he was any less deserving of Levi’s disdain.

“I wonder why.” Levi muttered in response.

Eren whined, a pout clear in his voice as trailed his palms up and down Levi’s thighs soothingly. The Omega needed to learn that he could trust Eren to be good to him, that Eren could be a source of comfort instead of only fear.

It had the opposite effect however, as Levi tensed further in his hold.

With Eren’s hands where they were, it wasn’t difficult to figure out where the raven’s mind had wandered to. Levi managed to look disdained even with a demon’s hands inches from his nethers, and Eren wondered fleetingly if Levi would manage to look this put out even when his heat arrived. At this point, even Eren wouldn’t be surprised.

His hands wandered idly up Levi’s thighs until the raven shifted, trying to shrug off Eren’s meandering fingers.

“I don’t think we need a third fucking bath today.”  Levi said, confirming Eren’s suspicions.

He didn’t want to risk another bout of Eren’s affection. How stubborn of him. Levi was determined to spend as little time as possible being intimate with his master, which was understandable, if disappointing.

Eren hummed his amusement. “I wouldn’t mind.”

Levi groaned in disbelief. Of course Eren would be fine with bathing, if that was the only price he had to pay for further pleasure.

“Are you devils never satisfied?” Levi grumbled.

“No,” Eren replied, pressing his fingers into Levi’s skin, “never, ever.”

“Then how can you ever hope to settle for just one pet? Will you be happy with two? Three? Ten? A hundred, perhaps?” Levi turned an icy glare on the brunet. “How long until you’re bored with me,  _ oh gracious master _ ? How long do I have to endure your presence before you grant me peace?”

Levi said peace, but they both knew that it wouldn’t be in the form of freedom. The only way Eren would be letting him go at all would be permanently.

Eren let out an exasperated sigh, but ended the playful touching. Instead, he looped his arms around the other’s waist and tried to subtly pull the raven into leaning back against him.

“You’ll have to get used to my caress eventually, precious.” Eren purred by Levi’s ear, the closest Levi had let him get to the area since earning his new jewels. “We have a long time to wait, and I’m willing to give you an eternity to come to your senses.”

Levi grimaced, but he didn’t lean away.

Even tiny progress sparked warm triumph in Eren’s chest and he gave a happy hum, mouth seeking Levi’s neck to feel the raven’s pulse against his lips.

The sooner that Levi accepted his fate, the easier both of their lives would be. It wasn’t a terrible fate. Levi could have anything he wanted, if he would only learn to play his role. If he gave Eren what he wanted, Levi would be repaid a thousand times over. Stubborn pride was an issue, though. Eren could understand that, for he was also prideful. If one of his enemies had taken over Eren’s home and forced him to kneel, powerless, Eren imagined he’d feel pretty damned rebellious too. In that way, Levi’s bitterness made perfect sense. Perhaps one day they would be able to smooth all ruffled feathers between them, but for now all Eren received was a sharp glare from the raven. Clearly, this wasn’t going to be the day that the human surrendered himself.

Be patient, Eren reminded himself. After all, this was only their first full day spent in each other’s company. Levi would get used to it. Like with training most creatures, once a pattern was set and expected, the animal was typically far easier to handle and less likely to bite. They would set rules, establish a good routine. It would work.

Levi just needed to grow used to his new living arrangements…and his handler.

Eren didn’t think that humans would be any different than animals when it came to proper conditioning, no matter their background or their spirit. It had never been different in the past. Eren’s previous pets had their share of character, even spirit in some cases. Easily broken. But Levi’s pride was something else, his very being built from stubbornness. Things would be different this time. How exciting.

It had been the raven’s allure from the first moment. Stubborn and vicious, where his very nature demanded that Levi yield.

An intriguing Omega, to say the least.

In the meantime, the demon would just have to make sure his hand was both stern and rewarding. Cruelty would gain no results worth having. If Levi ever cowered, he would no longer be himself. And where would be the joy in that?

Things had grown particularly quiet. Eren didn’t think that was a bad thing, it gave him the privilege of hearing each beat of Levi’s heart. Every thump was a comfort. Proof of life.

Eren had caused many hearts to stop beating, but this one…he hoped its rhythm would last.

At least with Levi, there was no illusion of love or fondness, no favour at all. Levi hated without lies, without trying to cover it up. His loathing was honest, and it would be all the better to coax that burning hate to another form of passion.

The silence stretched between them for a few moments longer, Eren for the moment was content to bask in the lovely scent that rolled off his human. So sweet. Mouthwatering, even. It was already such a tantalizing smell and it changed depending on the mood Levi was in, though Eren doubted that Levi was even aware of this fact. The main undertone of the aroma remained though, reminding Eren of a mixture of fresh rain and fresh picked sweet mint.

Levi’s voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“So, the freakish powers I know you have so far are that  _ delightful _ pain spell, hardening your skin,” Levi had to hold himself back from digging an elbow into the demon’s side as Eren snickered, it was the brat’s own fucking body, if anything it should be Levi laughing about it, “looking through my mind and memories, and also knocking me the fuck out.”

Not the most charming of conversationalists, but at least Levi was interesting.

Now Levi had calmed down from his panic of first waking up and seeing Petra outside of a third story window. That had been interesting, to say the least. Now he was able to think about the odd way time seemed to pass here. Levi had apparently slept through most of the day, if the light was anything to go by. The days here seemed longer, or perhaps it was a trick of the mind? The bedroom was now lit by hundreds of enchanted candles seated on the chandeliers above their heads, all flickering with some variation of Eren’s fire.

If the demon perished, would his fire also die, Levi wondered?

Levi didn’t bother talking then, just piecing together his day. Erwin had stated he would check on dinner preparations before he excused himself just a few short minutes before. Levi remembered taking a second shower with Eren, who had surprisingly kept his hands mostly to himself, and then being forced to help Eren dress in the clothing he was wearing now. He had just sat on the bed under Eren’s prompting. And after that, nothing, until he had been woken up by the feeling of being watched.

“Anything else I should know about?” Levi desperately needed to gather more information if he was going to protect himself or escape from this place in one piece.

Levi felt Eren smile against his skin. “I’m sure time will reveal what you wish to know; you like a bit of mystery don’t you?”

“Fucking wonderful. I love not knowing what’s going to happen.” Levi sneered. “Why would I be concerned at all whether or not I could be turned into a disgusting roach if you sneezed on me? Or whatever other bizarre demonic crap you could pull?”

“I think I’d prefer to see you as an animal far more fitting,” Eren smirked, considering, “perhaps a raven? Or a serpent?”

Levi opened his mouth before shutting it just as quickly. His brows pinched together as he tried to figure out if Eren was teasing him, or if he actually had such an unbelievable ability.

Despite not being able to see his pet’s face, Eren could smell the spike in Levi’s scent, heavy with anxiety, confusion, and just a slight undertone of fear.

_ Delectable. _

“You’ve barely scratched the surface,” Eren said, and this sounded like honesty, “I’m far more powerful than you could probably imagine, lamb.” His breath rolled over the side of Levi’s neck, smirking as he watched the goosebumps that appeared as a result.

Yeah, that was exactly what Levi fucking needed to hear, a possible whole smorgasbord of horrifying powers. He could wake up inside out if he stepped wrong. Or any variety of horrific outcomes. Do you want eyeballs melting out of their sockets, or how about a side of spontaneous combustion? For dessert, a heaped helping of your body turning itself inside out.

Levi shook his head slightly to physically derail his mind off the tracks it was speeding down.

“Delightful.” Levi muttered with a grimace.

Hell was everything it was cracked up to be and more, as far as Levi was concerned.

“By the way,” Levi ventured, “you’re not just going to put me to sleep every time you leave the room, right?”

That was a really fucking important fact to know if he was going to be able to obtain his freedom when Eren was busy elsewhere. Doing demon things, whatever horrifying activities they were. If it was at all possible, Levi needed to have time alone. To plan, to learn the grounds if that was ever a reality.

“Wouldn’t you be lonely without me, little one?” Eren’s tone was teasing, he knew exactly why Levi was fishing for his schedule.

It was disappointing, but not at all surprising. Limp as Levi laid in his arms now, he knew his pet would run the moment he thought he had a good chance.

“Your body is looking terribly beaten,” Eren observed, tutting in forced worry, “I thought it was far better you get the most rest you could.”

Levi managed to hold his tongue about the fact that one of the reasons he was so sore were the new pieces of art etched into his skin.

“I told you yesterday,” Eren continued, “once I can  _ trust you _ more…I’ll allow you to wander about the manor. But until then, you’ll just have to be satisfied with my chambers.”

Eren could all but feel Levi’s resulting scowl. The raven was frustrated, bored with the same old room, and desperate for escape. It had Eren on edge, anxious of what Levi might do just to get outside…and he truly did not want to lose another pet so soon. Especially not this one. So stubborn and unbroken, there was much potential left for Eren to uncover.

He nuzzled into the junction of Levi’s throat and shoulder. “I’m sure there are ways you could  _ persuade _ me into believing your faithfulness.”

“I already had your dick in my mouth once today,” Levi’s reply was instant and toneless, “I think I want to keep that as my record.”

A snort answered Levi’s barb, Eren pressing another searing kiss to Levi’s throat as he cooed, enjoying the way that the other’s pulse jumped under his lips.

“Oh really?” Eren’s mouth curved into a wicked smile which he hid against pale skin. “I had pegged you for the adventurous type, a creature that loved to push past their limits.” Eren let his tone drop a little. “You seem to oh so enjoy testing my patience, after all.”

“I’m all about finding new ways to disembowel a demon, not so enthused at exploring more scenarios with satanic cock. Or is that all I’m good for?” Was the wry answer.

There was a slight undertone of desperation to the words. Levi was frustrated with the idea that he was being reduced to a living sex doll, something only called upon for pleasure.

“Oh poor angel, is that what you really think? You’ll have more tasks than just serving me in the pleasures of the flesh.” Eren nibbled along a certain spot on the side of Levi’s throat he had current access to.

In a few days time, he was certain that the scent gland located there would become active, but it wasn’t a bad idea to preemptively cover the area with his own scent. Just another way for him to stake his claim on the omega. The specially made collar he had placed an order on while out buying the earrings would not be ready for a while yet.

“Your job is to keep me entertained and serve me in any way I see fit. Whether that be through chatting, companionship on trips out of the manor, games, chores, or providing me with a show.”

“A show?”

“Such as playing music or dancing, I think you would make a lovely dancer. You already revealed to me that you can be quite… flexible.”

“I don’t know how to do any of those things.” Levi scoffed.

Him singing and dancing? Was Eren serious?

The idea that anyone wanted him as a conversation partner alone was laughable. Levi would make a poor minstrel. He’d never learned any sort of finer arts, none of that rubbish about fancy spoons, not even polite speech. Levi’s life had been so far from those things, he might as well have existed a world away. Levi was certain that if Farlan had heard such a thing he would have had his feet fall out from under him with his laughter.

“No need to fret, I will be more than willing to teach you some of those skills,” Eren said it like that was some privilege, “and those that I do not have a mastery of I shall hire a tutor for.” Eren’s tone had become wistful, his mind already scheming.

The tutor would have to follow some strict stipulations. They would have to be a human, there was no way in hell that he was going to let another demon get handsy with his pet. Second, it would be best for them to be an Omega so they could further teach Levi about his most base nature. Lastly, the tutor would have to be claimed or mated, Eren wasn’t going to make such a mistake again.

Never again.

Thankfully, Eren already knew of such a creature that would fit the role perfectly, the only challenge would be dealing with their demonic owner. Eren wouldn’t be allowed to simply borrow the tiny omega, no, it would be a package deal with the owner tagging along to oversee the lessons.

Some sacrifices would have to be made, perhaps literally if  _ she _ was feeling peckish.

The deep sigh from his pet against him gathered Eren’s attention back to the small body in his arms. It seemed that the poor thing still wasn’t as excited about his future as Eren was. He ran a hand through the shorter hairs of Levi’s undercut, trying to sooth away his worries despite himself being the root of most of them.

“It doesn’t have to be all work and no play, Levi.” Eren murmured. “Think of this as an opportunity, please me and you’ll be rewarded. I’ll be giving you the ability to do things that your previous life would have made it impossible for you to do. There are so many possibilities open to you. I’ll arrange for your education. Anything. We’ll start with reading and writing; you don’t have the ability to do so currently, correct?”

The tensing of the human in his arms was answer enough.

“Don’t be ashamed, I expected as much. That can all change, Levi. You’ll learn how to do both in not only the human language, but a few of those used by fiends.” Eren bounced the raven in his lap gently, excited for him.

He huffed as he got a noncommittal hum from Levi in answer. The raven seemed utterly unenthused. It seemed Eren would just have to show off some of the merits that such skills could provide.

His fingers urged the other off of his lap, directing Levi to remain sitting on the couch as the demon trotted over to retrieve something from atop one chest.

Last time a chest was involved it didn’t bode well for Levi and his eyes narrowed as he watched the broad back of the demon. But whatever Eren was up to, he couldn’t see. Instead he was left to wonder about the odd sounds that were coming from whatever Eren was playing with.

Then, Eren turned back around on his heel, grin plastered on his face, but Levi only cocked a brow in silent question as he stared at the weird device settled under the chin of the demon. It was wood, softly gleaming in the light of the room and stranded with four wires running down its length. Obviously it was an instrument of some sort. Levi scowled already at the idea of playing it, as Eren would no doubt demand of him. Eren supported the top of the piece with his left hand, while his right held what looked to be another piece of long polished wood with something of a dull white color strung from one end to the other.

Then the narrow piece was drawn over one of the wires and Levi felt his eyes widen slightly at the sound that reached his ears. Sweet and charming, surprisingly soft. The noise seemed to twist itself delicately through the air and into Levi’s ears. It wasn’t hard to figure out how the instrument worked as he watched how Eren’s fingers pressed and moved across the delicate appearing wooden neck.

The notes were strung together with little effort. The melody flowed so surely and Levi was unsure if the song was something that the demon had memorized, or he had just come up with on the spot. Whatever the case, it was beautiful.

The playing didn’t cease as Eren wandered closer to the couch once more, no, if anything, he had an even cockier sway to his hips as he obviously could see the affect the music had on his pet. Even Levi’s dislike of Eren couldn’t spoil this. Music was beautiful even when it was being played by the hands of a monster.

Then just like that the music stopped and Eren swooped down to capture his pet’s lips in a kiss. He took Levi by surprise, long tongue slipping inside to pillage that sweet mouth that was so often at odds with the bitter words that Levi spoke.

Drawing back, Eren continued to smirk as he spoke, “You seem to like the violin, it can be either played with a bow or by plucking the strings. Have you never heard real music before, lamb?”

His fingers pulled and released one of the wires as an example of how different the sounds were that the instrument could produce.

Levi managed to shake himself out of his daze, instead pursing his lips as he turned his eyes away from the other. “It’s not so special, survival was higher on my to do list rather than messing with something that holds no purpose.”

Eren’s eyes glittered, amused.

“Do you really think so?” He hummed, the plucked notes more playful than before. “You seemed rather enchanted a moment ago.”

“Maybe I was just wondering whether or not that hunk of wood could be used to sodomize you.” Levi retorted, his scowl returning.

Eren’s eyes flashed. “...Kinky.”

“Unbelievable.”

Eren chuckled, he realized that he probably shouldn’t have expected anything else with Levi having such a  _ unique _ way of thinking about things. Show Levi a beautiful instrument of melody, and the raven would likely find ten ways to use it as a weapon. How resourceful his little lamb was. Eren couldn’t bring himself to be disappointed in the reaction. Finding new ways to fight was a useful skill in the Underground, and it would likely serve Levi well in demon lands also.

Eren only wished that it wasn’t at his expense.

A soft knock on the doors interrupted Eren’s tempered mirth, and their brief staring contest ended. With a sigh, Eren called for the visitor to enter.

Erwin slipped his way effortlessly into the room, his arms full with a large silver tray. Eren was never sure if Erwin’s timing was horrible, or excellent. Dinner was served on the table by the couches and the blond excused himself as quickly as he appeared after giving a short report on the goings-on of the mansion. Levi knew he should be listening to this news, but the mouthwatering smell coming from the tray was terribly distracting.

Meal times had rarely been an exciting affair before. The variety of foods here was something that Levi could never hate, even if the circumstances under which he received it were…questionable.

Setting the violin back in his case, Eren plopped himself back down on the couch. He was pleased at the fact that Levi seemed to remember another of the rules from the night before. The raven hadn’t touched any of the tempting food despite his obvious hunger and eyes all but glued to the waiting meal.

A pat to the cushion beside him and Levi was once more pressed against Eren’s side, waiting to be hand fed. It was a rare thing to behold. Eren knew it had a lot to do with food and not a lot to do with Levi respecting his master; the raven wasn’t likely to turn down a free meal considering his past. But alas, Levi and obedience didn’t often agree with each other outside of mealtimes. Not that Eren could blame the little raven; Eren himself had trouble answering to authority. There was a reason he’d climbed the ranks of power so ruthlessly, for no one could give orders to Eren if he was the top dog of their time.

Eren hummed in thought, slipping morsels gently past thin lips and regarding Levi while he ate.

Quiet, still, eyes finally free of their usual loathing. Levi made the perfect image of a good little house pet…if only while his mouth was occupied with food and not with cussing out his master. If only Levi could be so obedient with other orders without unloading an endless torrent of complaints. Eren reminded himself that he only had to be patient. These things took time, and Eren had all the time in the world to coax Levi into his new way of life, even with the raven’s stubbornness standing in the way of progress. It was only a matter of time before Levi realised just how much he would need his master in the coming days. Eren could take his time, after all he was going to have to be whittling away at well over a decade’s worth of independence and harsh experiences.

But it would be worth the wait to have Levi’s loyalty in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about the wait everyone, things have been busy for both of us and we are on opposite sides of the equator. While one is suffering from summer heat, another is literally almost waist deep in snow. We haven't give up on this story and are working on compiling more tribulations for our two poor boys. 
> 
> How you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment it brightens our days and we certainly need it about now.


	11. Creeping In

The evening meal disappeared gradually, Levi’s eagerness to gorge himself kept at bay by some truly impressive will. Eren doubted that Levi would behave any differently if his master left the room. Levi just liked to be clean, when he could afford to be.

The raven could be starving and he would probably still eat carefully.

But finally the meal was done, Levi holding back a pleased sigh. Eating here was probably the least unpleasant thing he’d had to endure, if soured somewhat by Eren insisting on feeding his pets by hand. It was a relatively small price to pay for good food. Levi would surrender a little dignity if it meant that he could eat something that wasn’t half rotten and tasteless for once in his miserable life.

With dinner finished, Eren pulled Levi to the bed with him once more. He noted the human’s scowl, Levi’s brows pulling together into a deep furrow as he was urged on top of the mattress. Levi balked at forced intimacy and decadence alike. Both of those things together were like a living nightmare to the raven.

And Eren was Levi’s own, personal living nightmare.

Levi sat stiffly where Eren deposited him on the mattress, glancing up at the brunet and immediately looking like he’d eaten something sour. Eren rolled his eyes. So much fuss with no reason, Levi hadn’t even been told to do anything and he’d turned morose. Like a moody housecat. Or more appropriately, a _stray_ – taken in and refusing to be grateful, too used to the wild to accept even the most welcoming touch.

Eren stood at the foot of the bed, hands reaching to cup Levi’s face, brushing hair back with his fingers.

“Really, Levi, must you look so sour?” Eren asked, but he was met with only sullen silence. The brunet heaved a sigh. “I haven’t even given you a task yet.”

“I’m sure whatever it is will be abominable.” Levi uttered, stiff and peevish in Eren’s grasp.

Eren huffed at the cold display. “I only wish for you to remove my clothes so we might get ready for bed. It’s only a simple task.”

Disbelief joined the ice in Levi’s gaze and he stared at Eren like the demon was utterly stupid.

“Are you so useless that you can’t even undress yourself?” Levi sneered.

“Hush.” Eren scolded, eyes slitting in displeasure. “It doesn’t matter what I ask you to do, Levi. All that matters is that you do it. Immediately and without question, none of this attitude that you’re so eager to dish out. You are  _ mine _ , Levi, and this is only a chore befitting your new role here. Don’t fuss, or else I’ll be forced to think of  _ other _ tasks for you to complete after the clothes come off.”

That did the trick.

Levi’s eyes narrowed suspiciously, obviously doubting that this would be the end of things regardless of Levi’s behavior. Eren only continued to stare at him. Those teal eyes were stern and unyielding, just waiting for Levi to disobey him again but giving away no hint or clue at what the raven’s punishment for disobedience would be. Eren wouldn’t give anything away, lest the surprise be ruined.  _ Heaven forbid _ , Levi thought bitterly. The raven huffed and sat on his knees at the edge of the mattress, willing this chore to be over and done with already. His pale fingers moved quickly across buttons of the other’s overcoat and undershirt before yanking at the shoulders of the clothes to dislodge it from Eren.

If Eren thought anything of Levi’s less than gentle actions, he didn’t bother to comment on it. Levi was grateful for the rare silence from the demon. Though the amused upturn of Eren’s mouth didn’t bode well, Levi thought. It wasn’t enough to make the raven rethink he actions, willing only to be done with stupid tasks.

He carried on, quick and efficient.

There was nothing sensual about Levi’s actions – the movements business-like, hurried and rough. It made Eren click his tongue, actually wincing as Levi jerked the demon’s arm out of the first sleeve.

“Would it  _ kill you _ to be more careful?” Eren sighed, the picture of disappointment. “I’d hate for a seam to go; garments of this quality aren’t easy to come by, you know.”

Eren tilted his head from side to side, slow and purposeful, an ominous crack sounding in the quiet of the room.

Levi’s hands paused at the words, a thinly veiled threat, and it seemed that Levi heard it loud and clear as he slowed down. More than he needed to, really. Eren didn’t complain; anything was better than Levi’s first approach to disrobing his master. Levi spitefully took his time now to work Eren’s other arm out of the sleeve, finally freeing the demon’s torso from any fabric. Eren stretched, not even subtle in his efforts to flex and show off. Levi only rolled his eyes. He refused to be distracted. Eren chuckled as he realized this, ruffling Levi’s hair with some pride. At least the raven was determined to finish one task at a time.

There was a box at the end of the bed that Eren motioned Levi to toss the clothes in. With that done, Levi returned to his task of disrobing his apparently infantile master. What kind of all-powerful demon couldn’t undress himself?

Levi huffed his annoyance, but unbuttoned the other’s fly quickly and stonily helped Eren out of his pants. He outright refused to react differently. Eren didn’t need the satisfaction of getting Levi flustered.

But the garment shedding stopped there and Levi felt a small flare of hope rise in him at the fact that the demon decided to keep his underwear on. The raven would have assumed that Eren didn’t bother with underwear at all, if only to make life difficult for Levi. He was still wary as Eren crawled onto the bed with him.

“Was that so hard?” Eren asked, entirely unserious as he smirked at Levi’s fuming expression.

The raven sat cross-legged, his arms folded over his chest, glowering at the mattress. He muttered several choice phrases under his breath, entirely aware that Eren could hear the whispered words just fine.

Eren gave a weary smile, reaching over to squeeze Levi’s ankle fondly.

“Don’t be angry, precious. This is how we will do things most nights,” the demon informed the raven, “you will help me get undressed, as is proper for a bed slave, and then,” Eren flopped face down on the mattress, bouncing Levi as a result, “give me a massage, pet.”

Eren flicked his wrist and the nightstand drawer slid open, a small porcelain jar rising up by the bed. It hurtled towards the human as if thrown, and it was only Levi’s reflexes that saved the jar from either striking him in the chest or crashing to the floor. Levi took a moment to scowl at the back of Eren’s head. He cradled the jar close to his chest, peering at the sides. There was no text, no label. Popping open the lid resulted in Levi’s nose being greeted by the smell of lavender and mint, surprisingly pleasant for something owned by a hellfiend. A touch to the creamy looking substance revealed it to be thick lotion.

Levi stared at the demon, brow furrowed as he wondered if the other was being serious or not. When Eren gave a small hum, Levi realized he wasn’t joking. The raven bit back the urge to huff. Eren was throwing yet another task that Levi had never performed before at the raven, without so much as a hint of instruction. Just perfect. If Levi failed, it would be entirely unfair for Eren to punish him for it.

Then again, Eren didn’t seem to care about what was fair.

Wussing out wasn’t an option either. That was a surefire way to stoke Eren’s temper and Levi had no intentions of earning himself unnecessary punishments before bed. He just wanted a goddamned good night’s sleep for once.

With a huff, Levi moved a little closer. He was busy analyzing where best to begin when Eren gave a tap of his fingers against the covers, directing Levi to place his knees on either side of the demon’s waist. Well, some instruction was better than none. Levi straddled the brunet, rolling his eyes at Eren’s approving hum. At least Eren wasn’t facing him; Levi didn’t have to endure that sickeningly fond stare just yet.

Levi tried to ignore the feeling of Eren’s tail moving, its motion a whisper against the covers, and the raven only sighed his frustration when the tail began wrapping around his right thigh. Levi decided to get on with it. He dipped his fingers into the jar with care, coating his digits with some of the lotion. It was cool to the touch, but warmed quickly. Levi’s hands pushed and kneaded at the demon’s broad shoulders, back, and upper arms, praying to whatever gods there were that he was doing this right.

He heard Eren sigh, apparently content, and figured things weren’t going too terribly.

Eren was still under Levi’s touch, but he was far from tense. Yet another reminder that Eren had no reason to fear letting his guard down around his pet, Levi’s loyalty be damned. Levi glowered at the demon’s back, imaging a hundred ways that he could have torn Eren apart had he been anything other than immortal. He looked so normal, only the tail and the horns giving Eren away like this. But while Eren’s skin felt soft and vulnerable, the muscle lying beneath was entirely the opposite. Tough as rock, and not because of any supposed tension; Levi could feel the physical power locked up inside of the other’s body with every push against the flesh under his hands.

It was obvious that this task was meant, at least in part, to remind Levi of how powerless he was against his master.

Even lying down, eyes closed, unarmed, and seeming relaxed. The damned beast was all but purring, he was so content, even under potentially murderous hands. Eren was practically shoving the fact that he thought Levi wasn’t a threat in his face. Even Levi’s attempts at souring the experience for Eren didn’t seem to work, his fingers digging in harshly. It only served to make Eren stretch and sigh. He was enjoying himself entirely too much, and there wasn’t a thing Levi could do about it. While Levi’s ‘massage’ was at best bruising, it did little more than pink Eren’s skin, the demon clearly enjoying the rough treatment if his little coos and purrs were any hint.

Leaning back on his heels, Levi finally stopped his work. His wrists were aching a little, but Eren hummed happily as he sat up, cracking his back and neck as he did so, his tail unwinding lazily from its grip on the raven.

“You’re brash about everything you do, aren’t you, lamb?” Eren sighed, content but mischievous.

Levi blinked stonily at the playful gaze that turned on him. “I like to call it  _ efficient _ .”

“Is that so?” Eren hummed, amused. “Well, I’d like to show you how it is done without homicidal intent. Tomorrow night we’ll see if you remember any of this lesson, hmm?” Eren nodded at the mattress, his hands sliding together to warm the lotion he dipped onto his fingers. “So down you go, pet.”

Levi sent the smiling brunet his filthiest scowl.

It only served to turn Eren’s smile sly, just shy of sinister. He wasn’t completely out of patience, but it was growing clear that Eren wouldn’t tolerate much more of Levi’s antics tonight. The raven huffed, but nonetheless obeyed. It was growing late, and Levi sorely wished to get things over with and sleep.

Laying on his front, Levi mimicked Eren’s position from earlier, stomach against the mattress. He didn’t feel nearly as at ease as the brunet had, feeling Eren’s sharp eyes roving over his form. Eren’s stare always managed to be invasive.

Levi felt the demon settle himself above the raven’s smaller body, and then Eren’s hands were on him.

Somehow that part managed not to feel invasive. Eren’s touch was firm, but not in a way that was meant to be unkind. Quite the opposite. Eren’s touch demanded relaxation from Levi’s body, and those clever fingers knew just how to wring the tension right out of the raven.

It was without Levi’s permission that a soft, contented sigh escaped his lips as he felt a hand moving slowly through his hair. The pads of Eren’s fingers were firm, but his nails were gentle as they scraped into his scalp with just enough force to send a shiver of satisfied pleasure rolling down Levi’s spine. It was contact that Levi wasn’t used to. No one touched him without the express intention to hurt, or in most cases kill. And now the deadliest foe Levi had ever met was being so gentle with him. Levi almost wished Eren would just eat him already and get this whole mess over with; no more confusion and warring instinct. The world had made a lot more sense when demons had been only evil beings with an insatiable hunger for flesh.

Eren was indeed insatiable…though in terrible, complex ways.

He didn’t want Levi as some measly snack. He wanted to  _ own _ him, to command his very soul and beyond, if that were possible. Every last part of Levi’s existence would belong to Eren if he had his way.

And the scariest part of all that… was that Levi had no idea how to stop it.

He could hardly think straight with Eren’s hands all over him, seeking out tense places and wringing out every knot. Making Levi’s voice turn traitor on his will. He bit his tongue to keep the quiet noises in, unwilling to give Eren the satisfaction of hearing him so much as sigh without a fight. Those hands wandered up into Levi’s hair every now and again. The fingers would crest to the edge of his hairline where it melded seamlessly with the skin of his forehead before trailing backwards over the back of his cranium and ending at the base of his skull which would tickle the shorter hairs of Levi’s undercut.

And sin, it felt nice.

Eren’s wrist would turn and up the hand would travel again. He moved just slightly to the left or right to ensure that the fingers didn’t travel over the same path twice. The greatest part was when the fingers would slide and press on the sides of Levi’s head, creeping up behind his ears before they slipped back down again.

Fuck, Levi could probably fall asleep right there. He forgot himself, and let go of a deep sigh.

It was astounding to think that the person giving such great massage was the same bastard whose hobbies were bloodshed and torture. Levi wondered in vague, bleary amusement if this was just Eren’s way of tenderizing his meal before consumption? If so…it was utterly worth it.

It was only once Eren satisfied that Levi’s was relaxed that his hands departed to apply some lotion and then they were back to drift down from the human’s head. Eren followed the sides of Levi’s neck down to his shoulders. Thumbs and the first two fingers moved always in a downwards motion from the base of Levi’s skull, down into his shoulder blades and upper arms. In a way, it seemed like the demon was trying to coax the stiff muscles and knots downwards as Eren kneaded his hands down the entirety of Levi’s left arm until he reached the human’s very fingertips. Then he was back to the shoulder and working his fingers down again with varying degrees of pressure.

Eren repeated this process a few more times before moving on to the other arm and giving it the same treatment.

The whole of Levi’s back was the next target. The knuckles of fists pressed firmly in and out of tight knots, then splayed fingers would move to sooth the muscles and skin. Eren’s thumbs pressed lightly into each vertebra of Levi’s spine, slowly working his way down to the human’s hips.

Eren shuffled himself backwards so his knees were at Levi’s feet and as he set his hands on the pale cheeks before him he could feel the muscles tensing. Levi managed to force his head into turning to glare suspiciously over his shoulder at the devilish brunet.

Amusement swam in Eren’s eyes at Levi’s stubbornness. Even melting under Eren’s hands as he had been, the raven’s mistrust bubbled quickly back to the surface at the slightest disturbance. Levi’s glower wasn’t easy to muster. He glared anyway, suspicion heavy in those grey eyes. A chuckle was his only answer as Eren ducked to press a smacking kiss to one globe before his fingers and palms moved in circular motions across the mass of muscle, toned by a harsh lifestyle. Honestly, Eren felt like he could worship his pet’s ass if only Levi would let him. It was too tempting and he barely managed to rein himself in from taking another taste. Businesslike, Eren reminded himself. He wouldn’t turn this into one of his games. Eren knew that Levi could appreciate this kind of pleasure, not inherently sexual unless Eren made it so on purpose. It was difficult to pamper Levi. He was too distrusting, too hardened by brutal experience. But this…Eren could give him this.

A chance to let his guard down, and feel something other than pain, or fear, or starvation gnawing him to death from the inside out. It wasn’t easy making Levi accept these gifts, so simple in Eren’s eyes. But a miracle to the raven.

Eren would make it his mission to show Levi that life here could be plentiful. He would have food, safety, plenty.

For now, this was all about getting Levi to relax and learn to trust.

Eventually Eren left the glorious, plush rump to work down toned thigh and calves. Another area that gave Eren an urge to bite, to taste, but he held off. Finally, Eren reached the human’s toes which he bent and straightened with incredible care, slowly easing out the last of the tension in the Levi’s body.

And, looking down at his handiwork, Eren felt a smile turn up his lips. A rare triumphant pleasure.

Levi felt like a boneless mess, unable to gather up the motivation to resist as Eren slowly rolled him over onto his back. Looking up, he was met with a grin. Eren looked happy, but there was something dark lurking in those scheming teal eyes, cat-like in their cunning.

Then Levi felt it. A presence in his head – the mental hooks that Eren was setting into his mind as he locked their gazes.

“Levi,” Eren’s voice came out with a purr, seeming to resonate in the raven’s head. “Do you want to stay in my home?”

“No.” The answer was quick and it left Levi’s lips without his prompting.

Levi’s eyes widened just a fraction as he realized then what Eren was doing. Whatever trick the demon was using, it wormed its way through Levi’s thoughts and made the raven unable to lie. His answers were forced from his lips, regardless of Levi’s desire to speak or remain quiet.

A small disappointed hum came from Eren, but he didn’t at all seem that surprised, instead moving onto his next question.

“What do you think of  _ me _ ?”

“I hate you.”

Eren didn’t need his mind tricks to know that.

Even so…it seemed to dismay him to hear it fall so freely from Levi’s mouth with no possibility of it being a lie.

“That’s too bad.” The demon said. “I guess there’s still much we need to work on.” Eren mused aloud.

Levi would have tensed, ruining all of Eren’s hard work with his massage if he could, but the mental hold on him kept him lax and pliant against the sheets. 

For a moment, Levi feared.

But Eren was in no mood to play. Instead of striking Levi, or dishing out any other punishment for his less than favorable words, Eren simply picked the human up off the bed. He laid Levi down in his cage beside the bed, settling the raven atop his cushions. The top of it closed with a damning click as Eren leaned away, his eyes far off and contemplating.

“Now, pet,” Eren said quietly, “ _sleep_.”

With that Levi knew no more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait, thank you all for your patience and hope you like this new chapter as we finish the second night between Levi and Eren. What will the morning and the following days bring? Will they fall into a routine and just what could that entail? What plans does Eren have in store for his feisty pet?
> 
> We've fallen behind on replying to comments, but we DO read them and they make our day!


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